


After the Boys of Summer have Gone

by iL0Vsuperman



Series: To the Past and Future [2]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Deadpool - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Back to the Future References, Future Fic, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Past, Reunions, Secrets, Separations, Space Time Continuum Fix, Superfamily, Team Up, These Guys Don't get a Break, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, grieving character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-05-13 17:47:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14753454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iL0Vsuperman/pseuds/iL0Vsuperman
Summary: After their struggle with the space time continuum, Steve and Tony thought they’d be able to finally settle down and live out the rest of their lives in peace.But, the same day they are reunited, the future needs saving again.A man appears before them and claims he needs their help to save…their son?They travel to the future and save his life and think everything will be alright...until they travel back and realize someone else had traveled back further before them and turned their world upside down.





	1. Something’s wrong with your Kids, Marty!!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back! With more Back to the Future chapter titles, references, and plotlines and more time traveling for Tony AND Steve this time! Enjoy! :D

“Fiancé, as in I’m going to marry this handsome piece of Cap as soon as the law is passed,” Tony reiterated to Fury with a big grin on his face and the smile wasn’t even the patronizing one he usually gave Fury. It was 100% genuine. His arm was wrapped around Steve’s side as he was ALIVE and they were going to get married!! His heart was so full with love that he couldn’t stop smiling.

Tony had to hold back from smiling more as Fury’s eye narrowed more into a tiny slit.

Ohhhh, he was annoyed.

“And when exactly did you two find the time to fall in love and become engaged in the five minutes…” Fury paused and then his glare burned hotter as he hissed, _“Mother fuckers,_ you two hooked up in the past, didn’t you?” To Tony, Fury growled, “And you didn’t think to tell me this even when we were searching for Cap and he was heading straight to you??”

Tony leaned into Steve’s side, resting his head on his shoulder, and teased, “I wanted to be just as romantic. It’s not every day that a super soldier from another century crosses the entire country because he loves you, you know?”

“We are engaged, sir,” Steve stated, more serious. Tony's heart fluttered At Steve’s words. God, he missed the sound of his voice. He still couldn’t believe he was here and he was going to hear that gentle but strong tone every day. Steve continued, “We love each other very much and I know you’re with the government and I know you were looking for me…but I’m home.” Steve wound an arm around Tony's waist and smiled down at him, making Tony’s heart blossom more with love. What had been a far away dream for them was now a reality and Tony still couldn't fully believe this was happening.

Steve was at his side and would remain there...for good.

Steve's eyes twinkled like he knew exactly what Tony was thinking and, without looking away from Tony, Steve informed Fury, “In fact, I’m more than fine. I’m in an era where I can love the man of my dreams, marry him, and spend the rest of my life with him. Not to mention, my best friend is alive and probably lurking nearby, listening in.”

“Watching your back, you punk!” Bucky yelled somewhere behind them in the house, making Steve chuckle and finally look back to Fury. Tony too looked to the SHIELD director and was surprised to see the man was no longer glaring at them. In fact, he could swear he was seeing a hint of a smile on the man's face.

“I have everything I need right here,” Steve said and hugged Tony a little tighter to emphasize exactly what it was he truly needed. Tony squeezed back agreeing with the sediment. 

If Steve wasn’t careful, Tony was going to throw himself at the super soldier and make out with him on the front porch if he kept talking like that. Fury, SHIELD, and Bucky be damned. They were in love and could finally stop holding back and he was seconds from pushing Steve against the nearest object and making the strongest man in the world whimper from his mouth alone. The feel of his warm arm draped across his back was enough to make his body feel alive and tingling with almost orgasmic sensations. 

If these people didn't leave him alone with his super soldier soon they were about to get an exhibition on their hands. 

“You don’t have everything,” Fury retorted, making Tony switch focus from gazing lovingly at his fiancé to glaring at the SHIELD director. What’d he mean by that?

Fury signaled to one of the agents behind him and she came running forward with an oddly shaped duffel bag.

“I’ll leave you two to your reunion but, I’ll leave you with this too.”

He handed the duffle bag to Steve and said to the super soldier, “I’ll expect a full report about what really happened in the past. Stark was not very forthcoming but I hope we’ll have a better conversation. Take this as a token of our future appreciation.”

Steve unzipped the bag and his shield lay inside.

“Thank you,” Steve whispered reverently.

“No problem, Cap,” Fury replied. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other in the future.”

“Ugh,” Tony groaned, knowing the man was probably right. His super soldier was a Boy Scout after all…Tony wrapped both of his arms around Steve and grumbled to Fury, “Can Steve and I celebrate our engagement now?”

“Yeah, Stark, you two can go fuck like monkeys,” Fury said, turning away and waving.

“Great! Bye, Eyepatch!” Tony called and then closed the door.

Turning to Steve, Tony purred, “Now what was Fury saying like monkeys?”

“Wait! Nope!” Bucky gasped, stepping into the hallway. “Can you give us a second to vacate the area? Nat! Let’s leave these love birds alone.”

Natasha seemed to fade out of the shadows and, to Bucky, she teased, “You’re no fun…”

Bucky rolled his eyes and murmured, “I’m heard enough of their fucking in a lifetime. I don’t need to hear no more if I can help it.”

She stepped past him and asked, “Then what should we do in the meantime?”

Bucky grinned cheekily at the shorter woman and then nodded down the hall to where the elevator to the beach was and said, “I figured I could show you the finer art of beach walking.”

She went down the hall and said, “Barnes, you drive a hard bargain, but I’ll take it.” To Steve and Tony, she called over her shoulder, “Enjoy the sex, guys!”

Bucky gave them the thumbs up before racing after the SHIELD agent.

Tony was stunned by their entire interaction. That woman was barely there a week and she already had the infamous Winter Soldier whipped.

“Is – Is she Bucky’s girl?” Steve gasped, also affected by what they just saw.

“More like Bucky is _her_ fella,” Tony chuckled. “He’s been tripping after her like a puppy ever since she got here.”

Steve smiled warmly to where the couple had disappeared and whispered, “Then Bucky may find love in this era too…”

Tony smiled at Steve and then carded his fingers into both of Steve’s hands. Steve turned back to him, his warm smile still in place but his gaze warmed all the more as his eyes came into contact with Tony's. Steve curled his fingers around Tony’s fingers and Tony never before felt so in love with Steve than he did at that moment. 

“Have I reminded you how much I love you in the last five minutes?” Tony asked, leaning closer to Steve with a flirty smile.

Steve ducked his head closer to Tony and teased, “Not unless the monkeys comment counts?”

“Nah, I doesn’t,” Tony chuckled. He cupped Steve’s jaw and whispered, “I love you, Steve Rogers…”

Steve kissed his gently and then whispered, “And I love you, Tony Stark…”

“Let’s go to my bedroom,” Tony whispered, needing to feel Steve inside him again and vice versa. 

“Shouldn’t it be _our_ bedroom now that I’m shacking up with you?” Steve countered, smiling as Tony pulled him up the stairs.

Tony paused halfway up the stairs and pulled Steve close as he murmured, “If you slept elsewhere I’d be fairly heartbroken.”

Using his newfound height thanks to the stairs, Tony bent down and gently kissed Steve. Steve hummed with pleasure and held him just as gently.

Tony broke the kiss with a happy sigh and, when he opened his eyes, Steve still had his eyes closed like he expected Tony to keep kissing him. Tony smiled sweetly at his super soldier and teasingly reminded him, “The bedroom.”

Steve’s eyes blinked open a fraction they remain hooded as he agreed, “The bedroom.”

Tony grasped his hand and led him the rest of the way to the bedroom. Once in the room, Tony spun around and wound his arms around Steve.

“I still can’t believe you’re here,” Tony whispered. His eyes were riveted on Steve. The other day, he thought Steve was dead but now here he was alive and with Tony again…forever.

“I’m still adjusting to the fact that I’m in this era,” Steve chuckled, gently drawing his fingers under Tony’s shirt, it took every ounce of Tony's will not to moan at the feeling and ruin the moment. It’d been so long since he last felt Steve’s touch. Steve smirked and dug his fingers deep into Tony's flesh as he stated, “But this…I don’t need to adjust to this. We’re back together like nothing happened.”

Tony hummed in agreement and his own hands made their way up Steve’s chest and then he cupped Steve’s jaw as he brought him level for another kiss.

As their kiss deepened, Steve’s hands bunched in Tony’s shirt, slowly drawing the fabric up until their lips had to part in order to completely remove it. Tony gasped for breath, readying himself for another smothering kiss, but Steve dropped the shirt and paused. His eyes fell onto his new reactor and several emotions ran through his eyes as he took in Tony's chest.

Steve lightly drew the backs of his knuckles just above Tony’s reactor where Tony’s skin was scarred from numerous occasions. The dark veins from his palladium poisoning were gone but a few left behind faint white marks. Steve traced one of those marks, probably remembering the last time they were together...it had technically been decades ago though, to Tony it’d felt only months.

Yet for Steve it had been merely a few days ago when he’d last saw Tony, his chest covered in poisoned, dark veins, delirious with fever, and on the verge of death.

Tony caught that hand and gently kissed it. He brought Steve back to the present as he whispered, “I missed you so much, beloved…”

“We’ll never have to separate again,” Steve whispered in a promise, squeezing his hand back, his eyes glossy with emotion as they returned to Tony's gaze.

“Never,” Tony agreed and helped Steve take his shirt off too. With it off, Steve dropped his head and kissed Tony again, his fingers spread across Tony’s back and pulled him close, making their naked chests touch and their warmth to sink into each other, a testament to the life within both of them.

Being back in Steve’s arms felt like home. It was where he belonged. Keeping Steve in his embrace, Tony stepped back and pulled him into _their_ bed. 

Tony slowly lay back as Steve just as slowly crawled onto the bed and lowered him onto the mattress, probably not wanting them to separate anymore than Tony did. As Tony settled back onto the bed and looked up at his super soldier, he realized from now on, when Tony woke in the morning, Steve would be by his side. He'd wake up to this man every morning, smiling in a way that practically radiated with his love for him. The very thought made him smile.

Tony kicked off his jeans hastily, making Steve laugh. But then Steve’s weight settled onto Tony and he groaned in approval. Without his jeans on, he could feel so much more but it was also a reminder that he needed to get the rest of Steve’s clothes off now.

Steve smiled that dazzling smile of his and whispered, “I almost forgot what you sounded like when you were turned on…”

“Beloved, starting now and till the end of our lives you are going to be throughly knowledgeable in all my sounds,” Tony stated, running his hands down Steve’s naked chest. His muscles felt _amazing_ and Steve leaned into his touch, encouraging him to touch him more.  

Fuck, he was horny. He hadn’t slept with anyone since Steve and it’d been so long since they made love. Just touching his naked chest made him so hard.

Steve’s eyes warmed and then he crooned, “I expect you to know the same of me, sweetheart…”

He rubbed their hips together and both of them hissed from the contact. Pleasure was practically vibrating throughout Tony’s body. They needed to be having sex yesterday. He couldn’t wait anymore.

“Fuck, yes, Steve,” Tony moaned and hurriedly unbuttoned Steve’s jeans. It’d been so long since they last touched intimately. _Too long_. His fingers trailed against his warm skin and Steve’s breathing became more shallow as his fingers came within centimeters of his sex.

 

But then they were cockblocked.

 

 _Again_.

 

And it wasn’t Fury, Bucky, Jarvis, or even Hydra this time.

Something exploded in the middle of their room and Tony would later ruminate that _fate_ was the ultimate cockblock.

At the moment, however, he wondered who the hell was throwing explosives at them right before Tony jerked Steve off.

Steve grabbed Tony and pulled him away from the bed in a near instant. He pushed Tony against the wall and placed himself between Tony and whatever just exploded in their bedroom.

A large cloud of white smoke was beginning to dissipate in the middle of the room. A large figure stood in the middle of the smoke and was hunched over, coughing loudly.

The smoke eventually cleared revealing a man wearing a full body red suit with black accents and two large samurai swords strapped to his back. He stopped coughing and straightened with a loud groan. The fact that he was masked alone unnerved Tony but throw in the samurai swords and Tony felt both anxious and angry all at once. 

Couldn’t he just have one moment of peace with Steve? Just one!!

The stranger saw them and then cheerfully waved, “Hey guys! Woah! Wow. You two are super hot! I mean you’re already hot but right now you are smokin! Where are your clothes? Did I just interrupt some sexy times?”

“Who the hell are you!?” Tony hissed, inching toward his bedside table where he had hidden his suitcase suit.

“The real question here is, where are your clothes??” The stranger countered instead. He suddenly cupped both cheeks and gasped, “Oh my God!! I can see _both_ of your undies!!”

Steve flushed and quickly buttoned up his jeans. Then his adorable super soldier took one look at Tony in nothing but his tiny boxer briefs and then stepped in front of him to guard his decency, making Tony snort.

Steve growled, “You have five seconds to start explaining yourself or I am going to forcibly remove you from the property and into the hands of SHIELD.”

“I’m sorry! I’m just extremely distracted by sexy, younger you and you’re not wearing a shirt. And Papa Stark is wearing less! And Papa Stark is hot too!! Your old pictures don’t do you guys justice! Did I come to a sexy alternative universe and not the past??”

Finally, Tony latched onto something the deranged man was saying and he poked his head out from behind Steve’s frame and gasped, “Wait – Wait – Wait…Did you say you came to the past?? Like you time traveled??”

Tony looked the man up and down again, a little discouraged. Tony had literally just started to consider forming the Avengers after their interaction with Fury.

Don’t tell him this crazy man was the future of the team??

Steve inhaled sharply and gasped, “Is that true?”

“YES!” The stranger exclaimed, “Sexy Papa Stark and Sexy Cap are just as smart as the older ones from my era! But, geez, your hotness is distracting me! I didn’t come all the way here to oogle you! The future needs your help! Your son is in danger!”

A beat of silence finally passed between them as they both processed what the mad time traveler had said.

“O-Our –,” Steve finally grabbled.

“Son?!?” Tony finished in complete shock.

Was…Was he being serious? Were he and Steve going to adopt a kid?

“Peter! He’s going to be born like this year or maybe next year…Or maybe this year? What year did I come to again?” He looked down his watch and chuckled, “Whoa, little early...Either way, long story short, you two are going to adopt him and then he’s going to grow up into this amazing superhero but he’s going to get in a fuckton of trouble because future yous are in another universe right now helping some aliens. BUT Peter needs you! He needs his super dads! Better yet, the naked, sexy versions!”

Tony exchanged incredulous glances with Steve.

“We’re adopting a kid. Did…Do you want kids?” Tony asked Steve, still a little in shocked by the whole idea. Hell, he still wasn't over the fact that a superhero from the future just cockblocked them. He thought they were done with this space time continuum shit. 

“I did – I mean – I do – I, well, we barely had time to discuss getting married nonetheless raising a family. Truthfully, I didn’t even think it was an option because we were both men but if we can get married in this era then it stands to reason that we can adopt together too…Did – ah – Did you want kids?” Steve asked, nervously.

Tony grinned at the super soldier and said, “With you? More than anything.”  
Steve would be a great father and he could already picture him smiling warmly at the little boy there were to adopt.

But…

“You said our kid is in trouble?” Tony demanded, turning back to the man in red.

“Yes! Let’s go save Petey!” The stranger held up his hand with a large looking clock face on it and hit it.

A familiar pressure built up around them and Tony inhaled sharply.

“Did you just –?!” Tony hissed but his words were cut off when that pressure pushed down on him from all sides, crushing him. Tony collapsed to his knees and Steve fell beside him. He shakily reached out to Steve and grabbed his hand. Their eyes met and the last thing he saw was Steve’s scared gaze.

Bright light blinded him and then…

And then they were flung into the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The entire reason I held back until now to post this was so I could accurately describe Cable's time traveling device! So guess who finally saw Deadpool 2! XD


	2. Because this Hoverboard Incident Occurred, Griff now goes to Jail

They landed in an array of dazzling lights bright and sparkling as fireworks with glittering images of people and events passing before Tony’s eyes too quickly for  him to focus on. 

Tony pressed his face into Steve’s chest and his fiancé held him tightly until they landed.

When Tony no longer heard the hiss of the light, he slowly lifted his head and opened his eyes.

They were in a different room, not even in Tony’s house anymore.

But…more importantly, they were no longer in their era.

They were in the future...their future.

Steve was the first to move and cautiously stepped forward but kept a hand on Tony’s arm. Tony was glad for the anchor as he was probably the only thing keeping him upright as looked upon their future.

At first glance, it wasn’t too impressive. They were in what looked like a normal living room. There were couches, a huge, flat screen TV, and large windows that overlooked an open, manicured field with a forest of pine trees in the distance. Tony didn’t recognize any of it but it clearly was not his coastal home.

“Where are we?” Steve gasped, looking around them, voicing Tony’s very thoughts.

“You’re home, Steve,” a female voice stated.

“What the hell??” Tony hissed, jumping in alarm and grabbing onto Steve’s bicep. Tony was already on edge about traveling through time _again_. Not to mention he just found out he was going to have a kid who was apparently in danger.

But now…“Where’s Jarvis??”

“I am Friday and, by my analysis, am I to assume Wade stole Cable’s time travel device again?”

“Guilty!” Wilson said, stepping forward with a chuckle. “Now you two stay here! I’ll get Petey! Where is he, TGI Friday?”

“Outside, running on the track.”

Wade looked at his time traveling watch and said, “Perfect, we’re right on time!”

With that, Wade went to the glass doors leading outside, leaving Steve and Tony behind without another word. Tony and Steve exchanged bewildered glances. Tony crossed his arms and demanded, “Friday?”

“I’m sorry, boss. I am not at liberty to divulge any information about the past or why Jarvis is not here without threatening the timeline,” the new AI replied.

“What the fuck…” Tony hissed, not liking being on this end of the time travel paradox. When he traveled through time, he at least knew what to expect. This must’ve been what Steve felt like with the knowledge of the future being dangled in front of him like a faraway lure and he didn’t like it one bit.

Steve grasped his arm and murmured, “There has to be a valid explanation. Maybe you designed a new AI for a new home?”

“Jarvis is always a part of my home!” Tony hissed, “I’d never leave him!”

Steve pulled Tony into a half hug and he relaxed in the super soldier’s embrace. Steve was right. Tony wouldn’t get rid of Jarvis and there was probably a plausible explanation as to why Friday was here. Jarvis was indestructible. He was too big for a virus to take out and was spread out through so much hardware that he wouldn’t lose him even if the main CPU at Stark Industries was corrupted.

Maybe this was a summer home? Or maybe this Peter had created Friday? Tony liked the idea of that, his son making an AI just like he had.

Steve suddenly inhaled sharply in surprise and Tony followed his gaze to the wall behind them and had to stifle a curse.

Forget this new AI being secretive, their future was laid out before them in a collage of framed photos on the wall.

Steve put his hand over his mouth as he stepped forward and lightly touched the photo of what was obviously their wedding day. They were both wearing nice suits and kissing and Steve was cupping Tony’s jaw, the gold band on his finger clear as day. 

They looked ridiculously happy and Tony’s heart soared. That was the future they had wanted. They were going to get it.

He’d barely gotten used to the fact that Steve was alive nonetheless engaged to him...but to see a photo from their wedding...

It made Tony feel breathless.

“…So much for not seeing the wedding dress till the day of,” Tony stated sarcastically, trying to hide how emotional it made him. 

Steve smiled, seeing right through his act, and teased, “You know, a wise man once told me, the future isn’t set in stone.”

They were the same words Tony had said to Steve in the past to convince him he’d find love and marry one day.

Tony grinned at Steve. Neither of them could’ve imagined falling in love with the other or their future leading to _this._

“This looks pretty set in stone. Glad to see you don’t leave me at the altar,” Tony observed, making Steve chuckle.

His eyes spanned over the other pictures. There were a lot of the Avengers, the teammates they had yet to meet. There was one official looking team photo, but most were relaxed. They were all clearly friends. Bucky and Natasha were mixed in there and…Peter.

Tony removed the family photo from the wall and they both huddled over it. He and Steve stood together with a young man with a cap and gown. He was about Tony’s height with brown hair and a joyful smile.

“That’s our son,” Steve whispered with an edge of awe.

“He graduates high school at least…” Tony sighed and Steve elbowed him.

“…Dad? Pops? Why are you here?...And where are your clothes?”

Steve and Tony froze and then slowly turned around. The same young man from the photo stepped in from one of the outside doors. He was wearing black workout gear with a white slanted “A” in a circle on the front of the shirt. He walked toward them with a confused expression.

“Friday said Wade was looking for me but…why are you here? Weren’t you helping the Guardians with –.” Tony fully turned toward Peter and Peter’s eyes grew comically large. He stumbled over his words as he gasped, “Oh, my God! D-Dad!? Why – Why do you have an arc reactor _IN_ your chest???”

Tony’s brows rose with the new information. So they were going to find a way to get the shrapnel out of him, eh? Still so soon after recovering from the palladium poisoning, he felt a little relieved by this.

“Peter…Wade stole Cable’s time traveling device,” Friday stated in explanation.

Peter rolled his eyes and groaned, “Again? Wait…” His eyes returned to them and he gasped, “Wait. Oh my god, you’re both young looking! You’re – you’re the younger yous! Wade time traveled and _BROUGHT_ _YOU_ _BACK_!?”

“Apparently, your life was in danger,” Tony replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Oh my god,” Peter gasped, taking a step back. He pointed at Tony and gasped, “You had the surgery to remove the reactor when I was a baby. And Pops – _your_ _hair_!”

“My hair?” Steve asked, taken-aback by this new turn.

“It’s the way you wore it in the past- _past_!! Oh my God, how far back did Wade go?? Are you two even in the new millennium yet?? Are you even a couple????”

“I proposed to him this afternoon,” Tony stated with a grin. “Well…actually, I technically proposed several years ago. Time continuum and all. What year is it by the way?”

Peter covered his face with a groan and murmured, “I’m going to kill Wade…”

“Are you really in danger?” Steve asked, looking skeptically out the windows to the peaceful scenery outside. Tony was beginning to wonder the same too.

“No!” Peter stated, “Everything has been relatively peaceful! I have no idea why Wade would bring you here! He’s risking the future! _Again_!! You wouldn’t believe how many times he’s taken Cable’s time glove! Look, you guys just – just stop looking at those pictures and – and sit here!” He motioned to the nearest couch and continued, “I’ll get Wade and make him take you back and you guys will need to go about your lives like this never happened!”

Tony and Steve walked over to the couch and sat down. Peter regarded them nervously but also with open curiosity.

“Don’t move,” Peter said. “And Pops, please stop looking at me like that.”

Tony glanced at Steve and saw him smiling widely at Peter.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it,” Steve said with a chuckle. “You just…remind me so much of Tony.”

Tony glanced back to the young man to see his reaction but to also gleam what Steve was seeing.

Peter flushed and garbled, “Stop sound so much like – _like_ Pops!”

Tony grinned to hold back his chuckle. He wasn’t seeing what Steve was in correlation to Tony, but he was glad to hear his loving super soldier wasn’t going to change much when it comes to coddling the people he cared for. 

“Aren’t I Pops?” Steve asked curiously.

“You are and it’s adorable,” Tony said, winding an arm around Steve’s waist. “I think I’ll just call you that from now on, _Pops_ …”

“Thanks, Daddy…” Steve retorted drolly. Tony bit down on his lip to keep from bursting out laughing.

“ _NOPE_. I CANNOT! I’m getting Wade and then booting you two out and then I’m going to find a way to erase all of this from my memory!” Peter spun around on his heel and right back outside.

Tony and Steve chuckled and Tony watched the young man walk away with a found eye.

“I think we’re going to be good parents,” Tony stated.

“Me too,” Steve whispered. “I can’t wait…”

“You’ll have to marry me first, mon capitaine,” Tony purred into Steve’s ear, curling into his lover’s side.

Tony should have been worrying over the space time continuum again…but Steve was smiling at him. Tony’s insides warmed as he smiled back at his super soldier as he leaned into his side and held both of his hands with both of his.

To Tony, they’d only been reunited less than an hour ago and he’d found out that Steve had come back to life only a few days ago. He still wasn’t over the fact that Steve had survived the impossible and they would be spending the rest of their lives together.

They had a future together now and, from the photos he’d seen, it looked like it was going to be a happy one.

In response to Tony’s smile, Steve whispered, “I love you too, sweetheart.”

Tony’s grin expanded and he leaned forward to share a gentle kiss with his husband-to-be.

He could’ve been jumping around, trying to learn as much about his future as possible. Instead, he was content to simply kiss Steve and he decided he rather experience their future themselves. From what he learned from time traveling already, the future was limitless and he wanted to experience it all with Steve.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” Wade whined as Peter dragged him back into the room by what must’ve been his ear through his mask. As soon as Peter let go, Wade rubbed the area over his mask.

Peter pointed at them and said, “Send them back.”

“Baby boy, you haven’t been listening –,” Wade tried to argue.

“I don’t need to listen when the truth of the matter is sitting on my couch half naked and learning more about the future every second they are here!!” Peter waved in their direction and then gasped, “You brought my parents back from the past before I even existed!! Do you have any idea the ramifications that could cause for me? Not to mention the Avengers _and_ the rest of the future!? And did I mention they’re practically naked?!”

“No one would fucking listen to me!” Wade angrily countered. The outburst seemed to have shocked Peter silent and Wade sighed sadly. He gently grasped Peter’s hands and explained, “They all thought I was lying when I said your life was in danger! They were my tenth stop! Even mi familia de X Force rolled their eyes at me. They thought we were just having relationship problems and I was being overdramatic!! I was desperate!” Wade grasped Peter’s arm and whispered, “I tried to save you myself, baby boy, but they were too strong for me…I cannot survive losing you again…” Wade embraced Peter and buried his face into Peter’s shoulder as he gasped in a broken voice, “I can’t…”

With a shocked expression, Peter slowly returned the embrace and he whispered, “…You’re serious.”

“As a cactus in a hurricane,” Wade retorted in a broken voice, the sound muffled slightly by his face being pressed into Peter’s shoulder.

Peter glanced at them and then back to Wade, hunched over in his arms.

“Did he say relationship problems?” Tony murmured under his breath and looking at Wade with a narrowed gaze. His eyes focused on Wade’s hands which held Peter quite familiarly. Would their future son _really_ date this guy? Like _really_ – really?

“I’m sure he’s a very nice man,” Steve whispered back, easily reading his mind.

“Mmmmm Hmmmm,” Tony hummed, not convinced.

“He did risk the future for his boyfriend, sounds like another brave time traveler I know,” Steve teased, lightly bumping Tony’s side with his elbow.

Tony elbowed his stupidly grinning fiancé back, but Steve chuckled and then wrapped an arm around his shoulders which Tony snuggled into without complaint.

The other two crossed the room and Peter said, “Wade says we’ve got another five or ten minutes until the shit hits the fan. So we’re going to give you guys some clothes and your gear.”

“Who’s the enemy?” Tony asked.

“The Sinister Six,” Wade stated.

“The what-what now?” Tony scoffed, the name sounded like something out of a comic book.

“A group of villains that really don’t like me in particular,” Peter replied. He waved them on and said, “Let’s go to the locker room and get ready for them.”

Peter led them deeper into the house and it changed from a family home to an active facility. He took them to a locker room and Steve asked, “Is this our home or a command center?”

“A little of both,” Peter replied with a smirk.

Tony pinched his chin and then teased, “So we _do_ form the Avengers after all.”

Peter cringed and then Wade happily added, “You two lead the group like a power couple!”

Peter elbowed him and hissed, “Shut up, Wade!”

Peter nodded to one of the larger lockers and said, “Pops, this is yours. Please, put on the black tactical gear. It’s the strongest you have and I need you to make it through this in one piece.”

Steve opened the two doors. There were four different uniforms hanging there and two shields to choose from. One was Steve’s circular shield and the other was a smaller and looked like it could only protect his forearm. Various boots were lined on the floor with surgical precision and, on one of the doors, a photo of Tony and Steve holding a toddler between them and all three were wearing exuberant smiles.

“Aw Peter, you were so cute,” Tony crooned.

Peter slapped his hand over the picture and hissed, “Stop _looking_ at things!”

Tony snorted having way too much fun with this. It was completely different being in the future compared to his time in the past. His own era wouldn’t be affected or changed by anything he would do. He could relentlessly tease his future son and take joy in the fact that he and Steve were going to have a happy life. They’ll fight some wannabe comic book villains with a ridiculous team name and then be on their way to their era where they could _finally_ make love.

“Pops, just get dressed and don’t look at anything too close and Dad, give me your hand,” Peter said. Tony lifted his hand to Peter and the younger man grasped his forearm and had him press his hand against a triangular panel on the wall next to Steve’s lockers.

Tony swore as a suit started to materialize around him, starting where his hand was connected to the wall. He looked to Peter and gasped, “What is this??”

“Nanotechnology,” Peter supplied. “And that’s all I’m going to say…and don’t look at anything either.”

Tony watched with absolute fascination as his armor formed around him, seemingly out of thin air.

This must’ve what his father felt like when he first saw the Mark 15.

The microscopic bots finished building the armor and similar screens appeared before him. He flexed his hands and murmured, “This is amazing.”

Peter placed his hand on the wall to, over a spider symbol and the same thing happened to him. Peter’s suit was thinner and more agile looking along with the red and blue color scheme, he had a black spider on his chest.

“Are you supposed to be the great spider boy?” Tony asked with a grin.

“Spider _Man_ , actually,” Peter countered.

Steve paused in strapping on his bulletproof vest and gasped, “You’re fighting with us?”

“Of course, why do you think the Sinister Six hate me so much. I don’t sit around and knit on the weekends,” Peter retorted.

“I’m trying to get him to start, it’s a great relaxer,” Wade stated from the doorway.

Steve was about to take off his jeans, but he paused and frowned at Wade.

Tony glanced between the two and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Son, your boyfriend is ogling my boyfriend,” Tony said on Steve’s behalf.

Peter flushed deeply and turned on Wade, gasping, “ _Wade_!?”

He rushed the larger man and then pushed him out of the locker room, practically tripping over his feet as he whined, “But they’re so sexy, Petey!”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Peter groaned as they disappeared.

Tony snorted and then leaned against the locker as Steve dropped his jeans. He stated, “You are one sexy super soldier…”

Steve flushed but grinned at Tony and stepped up to him, murmuring, “You’re not so bad looking yourself.”

Tony smirked cheekily in return and teased, “You have a fetish for the suit, admit it.”

Steve chuckled and dropped his drawers and Tony didn’t feel so cocky as Steve’s cock was literally out on display for a moment before he pulled on his new pants.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Tony gasped.

“What? There’s a built-in jock strap,” Steve said.

“You’re fighting commando, my Howling Commando,” Tony stated, smiling at the irony. 

“Do you see how tight these pants are?” Steve countered and turned around, so Tony could marvel at the tailorship that went into the perfect cupping of Steve’s ass.

His future self totally had a hand in that.

And kudos for Future Tony for making it a reality.

“Yes, I do see and I’m getting hard already,” Tony stated in all seriousness, wishing he wasn’t in his suit at the moment.

Steve turned back around and discouragingly murmured, “ _Tony_.”

“Our future son’s crazy, wannabe samurai boyfriend cockblocked us, before kidnapping us to the future. I have the right to be turned on by you in your future Commando pants,” Tony said. He grinned slyly and murmured saucily, “Pun intended.”

Steve rolled his eyes pressed a quick kiss on Tony’s face-shield before stepping back and putting on the rest of the uniform, saying, “These Sinister Six guys should be here soon.”

“With a name like Sinister Six, I’m not too worried,” Tony snorted.

Steve grasped his shield but paused as he took in the distinct indented scratch marks across its face. He murmured, “That doesn’t look like it was from an easy fight…”

He went to put his arms in the straps but almost dropped the shield from the lack of them. The shield, luckily, bounced right back and attached to his arms via magnets that must’ve been embedded in the suit.

“Sweeeett,” Tony said, his mind already planning to make Steve something similar as soon as they got back. “Now walk ahead of me so I can watch your ass in action, my commando Commando.”

“When we get back to our era I am going to ravish you,” Steve promised, walking ahead so Tony could watch him go.

“Beloved, as soon as we are back, I was planning on not leaving the bedroom for the next week,” Tony swore, his eyes riveted on Steve’s backside.

\---

“Oh…you have your old shield,” Peter murmured in surprise.

Steve brows immediately rose in surprise. He’d seen the other shield but he had assumed he used it on his other arm like a second weapon. He repeated in question, “My old shield?”

“Yeah, after the –,” Peter stopped himself. He took a deep breath and then reassessed, “I am not going to reveal the bumpy bit…”

“I’m going to guess it may have to do with the scratch marks?” Steve guess, holding up the shield with a smirk.

“I plead the fifth,” Peter retorted smartly. He turned to Wade and asked, “When are they going to get here?”

Wade glanced at the time glove and murmured, “Right about…” There was a distant explosion and then the building tumbled around them. Wade withdrew both of his katanas and said, “Now.”

Steve tightened his fist, unconsciously trying to grip the strap to his shield tighter. The strap was gone due to the new magnetic connectors and he felt a little uneasy without the familiar hold.

“Who exactly are these guys? Foreign  military? Hydra?” Steve asked, positioning himself in front of the group. Half a second later, Tony was standing right beside him in the Iron Man armor. Steve smiled when he saw him take his place beside Steve. 

It was where he belonged after all.

“They’re all the co-presidents of the ‘We hate Spidey’ club,” Wade retorted, stepping closer to Peter.

Smoke billowed across the lawn and Peter tersely stated, “They’re here…”

“…You’ve got to be shitting me,” Tony flatly stated.

A man walked through the smoke in a green body suit, with a purple cape, and a…fish bowl on his head?

Steve bit back a smile. Okay, he was with Tony on this one. Their foe looked absolutely ridiculous.

“That’s Mysterio, he’s a master of illusion,” Peter stated. “Don’t get too close because he has these gases that make you see things, hence the weird headgear.”

“Don’t get too close?” Steve repeated, quirking an eyebrow. He walked toward the glass door and quickly opened it. Before anyone could react, Steve threw his shield and sent Mysterio flying back into the smoke. The shield flew back like a boomerang and he held up his Armand the magnets drew it back and caught it. He liked this upgrade.

When the man did not get up, Steve turned to the others and asked, “Who’s next?”

“I love you so much,” Tony stated, a smile clear in Iron Man’s filtered voice. 

Steve smiled at his lover and then looked to the other couple. Both men’s faces were masked but their eyes seemed larger. Wade pumped his fists and gasped, “Sexy Pops is the best!”

Steve smirked at Wade, but his eyes were drawn to Peter as his son gasped, “That was amazing!”

Steve was surprised by the obvious admiration in Peter’s voice and, for a second, he felt it…what it meant to be a father – to have someone look up to him not because of him being a superhero but…because of their relation…because they were family. _Because this young man was going to be his son._

He and Tony were going to raise him to be this hero standing tall before them.

Peter nodded to him and stated, “Five more and they all have different fighting styles. Dad, stay away from Electro. Wade can deal with him. You’re going to have to handle the Vulture as you’re the only one who can fly like him. I’ll take care of Doc Oct and Pops can have Sandman. And, yes, their name’s are going to be a dead giveaway to their appearances.”

“…And the sixth?” Steve questioned.

“Friday?”

“I can commandeer two of Boss’s old suits out of the display cases in the foyer and help out,” the AI offered. “I’ve also contacted SHIELD and the X-Men, but both will take at least a half an hour to reach our location.”

Wade leaned forward and whispered to them, “In the future, Disney eventually is able to buy everyone out and we don’t pretend we live in separate universes.”

“…What?” Tony murmured in confusion. He looked to Steve and Steve shrugged just as confused.

Peter elbowed Wade and hissed, “Shut up and focus on the fight.”

Tony glanced at Steve speculatively and Steve shrugged. It’d probably make sense in the future.

Peter’s gaze spanned over them and he nodded, saying, “We got this.”

Steve smiled proudly at Peter, pleased to see him taking the initiative.

“We raised a mini you,” Tony whispered into Steve’s ear and four golden arachnid limbs rose out of the back of Peter’s suit.

Glancing Peter’s automated suit and then pointedly to Tony’s, Steve ironically replied to his fiance, “I think he’ll take after you in other respects too…”

“Here they come!” Peter yelled and then leapt forward. Their final five combatants were charging toward them out of the parting smoke. Steve zeroed in on the man with a body of sand and followed his son out into the field.

\---

Tony felt like he was flying into a comic book as he attacked his opponent. The man’s flying apparatus was crafted with wings that had turbines, BUT they were tipped with bird feathers and his mask had beady little green eyes like a bird. Because if you’re going to be a villain might as well be a “themed” villain, right?

Steve had told him once, when he first saw Tony, that he had thought he was dreaming about being in an Action Comic and Tony couldn’t help but think about it as he flew into the 80s Action Comic Book themed brawl.

Bird brain here wanted to kill his future son and, according to Wade, they had done it once and Tony wasn’t going to waste his breath teasing the man to risk it happening again. He and the Vulture flew head-to-head and, once the man realized Tony wasn’t going to stop, he expanded his wings and jerked to a stop. He was holding what looked like a flame thrower on steroids and pointed it at Tony.

“Yeah, not going to happen,” Tony murmured and dropped down, evading the sudden burst of neon red that exploded from the weapon.

“What kind of weapons do I have on this thing, Friday?” Tony asked, pulling a full 360 under his opponent before trying to get back up to his level. Below him, the ground fighting was just starting. Tony spared a nervous glance to Steve but he seemed to be handling his own against the massive sand monster.

“The nanorobots can construct a variety of weapons. However, being that your mind is not hooked up to their mainframe, you’ll have to vocally state what is needed,” the AI retorted.

That made him pause. Did the AI say his mind was not “hooked up” to the mainframe??

“…Okay, time out, serious question here…Do I turn myself into Robocop?”  

“No, boss,” Friday replied, sounding amused.

“Ok, good, because the mainframe hook up to the brain makes it sound like I am,” Tony replied. “Alright, little guys, let’s make a heat seeking missile.”

He felt them get to work on his back and then, a moment later, Friday announced, “Missile ready.”

“Awesome, target Big Bird and fire away,” Tony said, looking up to his opponent with a smirk. The missile fired and the Vulture tried to scramble away but he got only a few flaps in before the missile hit one of his wing turbines, totally destroying the wing. The man plummeted to the ground and probably only survived thanks to the second wing slowing him down…a little. He doubted he was going to be getting up anytime soon.

Tony turned back to the fight on the ground and saw Steve struggling under mountains of sand and fighting just to breathe. Tony blasted to his super soldier without another thought.

“Little robots, use my reactor to heat up my thrusters to max setting and we’re going to turn this Sandcastle into glass!” Tony frantically yelled.

He was suddenly pushed forward at a higher rate with the boost and, once he was close enough, he turned the thrusters on Steve’s opponent. The sand beast screamed and turned on Tony with a roar. Steve was released with the Sandman’s change of direction, and he fell to his knees as he gasped for air.

The Sandman was no match for Tony and his blasters. He tried to crush Tony with his massive hand but Tony merely needed to point his thrusters at him to stop him and turn the sand into glass. He whittled away to nothing until he was just as weakened man, feebly trying to crawl away.

Steve walked over to the shaking man as Tony landed and hit him hard on the back. The Sandman fell and did not get back up.

Tony went straight to Steve and grasped his arm, gasping, “Are you alright??”

“Fine,” Steve replied. He joked, “I just got some sand in some very uncomfortable places right now!”

Tony lightly squeezed his arm one last time and then turned to the remaining fighters. Peter looked to be struggling with the octopus man and the Goblin had destroyed the units Friday had sent out and was advancing on Wade who was none the wiser, cheerfully kicking a downed Electro.

“I’ve got Peter,” Tony said.

“And I’ve got Wade,” Steve replied. They separated and ran in opposite directions. Tony was engaged in a struggle with two of the octo arms in a matter of moments, but it took Steve a few more seconds to reach Wade.

And those seconds cost him.

Wade loudly cursed as the Goblin grabbed his arm and then ripped it from his socket in a showering arc of blood. Steve screamed Wade’s name and then slammed into the Goblin like a football running back. The Goblin went flying across the field and began to shrink.

Steve instantly hovered over Wade and put pressure on the amputated shoulder.

”I’m alright!” Wade yelled as he tried to assure him but Steve used his superior strength and pushed the man down.

It distracted Tony from his fight and one of the metal tentacles was able to slip through his defenses and grab onto his throat with a crushing force.

“ _Dad_!” Peter gasped in horror.

Tony scratched and pushed at the metal limbs, but it wouldn’t budge.

He could feel the nanorobots crawling frantically around the skin of his neck, but the metal seemed impervious to their onslaught.

“Your nanotechnology is no match for my creations, Stark,” the doctor chided. “As always, I am the better scientist, inventor, and –.”

Steve’s shield came flying out of nowhere and ripped through all of the metal arms before he could finish his boasting speech.

Tony landed on his behind painfully and he ripped the flailing octo appendage off of his neck. Peter took the opportunity to sucker punch the doctor and the man’s “superior intellect” was no match for Peter’s physical strength as he fell back unconscious from one hit.

Peter was hovering over him a second later and then Steve was next to Peter and grasping Tony’s face, demanding, “Are you alright??”

Tony grumbled to the nanorobots to go away and then he pressed his flesh cheek into Steve’s gloved hand and assured him, “I’m fine, Beloved…”

\---

Across the field, the Norman Osborn sat up with an angry huff. He’d lost consciousness for only a few seconds and the goblin formula was already wearing off because of it. He was in his puny human shell again. He only had one more canister of the formula left. He needed to make it last and count...but even with the formula, he was no match for the two strongest members of the Avengers.

They had been so close – so close to squashing that little menace for the bug that he was.

The brat’s parents weren’t supposed to be there! Hell! The kid was supposed to be here alone! It was going to be an easy kill and _revenge at its finest!_

Norman was still holding the mercenary’s arm and he threw it to the ground with an angry huff. It flopped awkwardly on the floor and happened to land on one of his feet. He went to stomp on the limb but paused as he finally really looked at it. He was looking at the hand to be exact…a hand wearing a device he’d seen worn a few times by that time traveling freak, Cable.

It…

His mind raced, now free from the cloudy adrenaline boost of the goblin serum. He put the pieces together. The brat’s parents were still in space. The Captain’s face…from the few seconds he focused on it, he remembered it was free of aging. He hadn’t noticed it during the heat of battle but...These were the Spider’s parents but…but the younger versions of them.

They must’ve been successful in killing the brat and that mad mercenary went back in time to change it!!

Norman bent down and ripped the glove off the severed arm.

He shoved it on to his own hand and glared across the field at the hero’s ambling to their feet. He hissed, “Two can play at that game.”

He turned the dial back further than it had been and set it to a pivotal year in the past.

Grinning slyly, he watched the unsuspecting family huddle together to check each other for wounds and then hit the device, activating it and sending him into _their_ past.


	3. I Suppose it's Poetic Justice. Two McFlys with the Same Gun.

Everyone got back to their feet feeling elated. The fight was won and the bad guys were strewn across the field, defeated. As soon as they were both standing again, Steve embraced Tony, holding him tightly to help his heart slow down.

When he saw that man start to strangle Tony…

Tony's face and neck were still exposed so Steve pressed his face into Tony’s neck and felt reassured by the strong pulse in his neck. 

“You’re not losing me that easily, beloved,” Tony murmured to him, knowing exactly what was running through Steve’s mind. “Especially to a guy who calls himself Doc Oct…”

Steve chuckled and whispered, “Sorry…I’ve just barely had you back for an hour and, with our luck, I just assumed the worst.”

“That luck of ours brought us together, despite everything. You have me for life, Steve,” Tony whispered in a promise.

Steve pulled out of the hug until he and Tony were only connected by their linked hands. He smirked at his fiancé and said, “I’ll hold you to it.”

Wade was approaching them and he seemed fine despite having his arm ripped off. Wade had made him go to Tony and had assured him that losing his arm was “just a scratch” and it’d grow back. Steve took him at his word at the time but was that really possible??

“Wait! What about Wade??” Tony demanded as the now one-armed mercenary walked up to them.

“He’ll be fine, Dad,” Peter assured him. “He’s a mutant with an awesome healing ability. He will have a new arm by tomorr –.”

Before Peter could finish what he was saying, Wade launch himself at Peter and embraced him tightly with that one arm. Peter was a little taken aback at first but then a look of understanding washed over his features and he returned the embrace, digging his fingers deeply into Wade’s back and pressing his face into his chest.

Steve looked from the couple and then to his own better half and smiled at him. Tony's throat was a little red from the attack and he did have a small cut but otherwise seemed fine. Tony grinned back and, via their connected hands, Steve pulled him tighter to his side.

Sirens could be heard approaching and Peter sarcastically said, “Oh, now they show up!”

Wade wryly chuckled and let go of Peter’s waist to cup his cheek. He whispered, “Last time they were too late and I didn’t even hear them until…” Wade dropped his head on Peter’s shoulder and gasped, “We did it, baby boy. You’re alive! We beat them.”

Peter wound an arm around Wade’s head with a fond smile and whispered, “We did.”

The familiar dark SUVs of SHIELD came tearing out of the trees and across the lawn. SHIELD agents jumped out and they surrounded them and started rounding up all their opponents.

Peter still held Wade, but he reached out to Steve and lightly grasped his arm. He whispered, “Thank you for coming out here. If you two were just engaged that means it’s the same day you were reunited right?”

“It’s been a big day,” Steve agreed. It was crazy to think he woke up that morning, alone on a bus, wondering if Tony was still afflicted by palladium poisoning.

“You two always told me the story growing up. It was my own personal fairy tale,” Peter murmured. “And then you two shared this secret smile at the end of the story and I always wondered what it meant. Maybe it was you remembering this moment today?”

“Or maybe we didn’t say anything because it was when we banged for the first time in months?” Tony suggested. “Wade did kinda interrupt us, you know?”

Peter smacked a hand over his face just as Steve elbowed Tony and hissed his name with embarrassment.

“What? I assume the kid already got the bird and the bees talk? When two people love each other, they get some lube and –.”

Steve put a hand over Tony’s mouth and said, “I think he knows, sweetheart.”

“Thanks, Pops…” Peter sighed heavily. Steve smiled at the younger man and wondered how often Tony was going to tease him similarly in the future.

A familiar figure approached them out of the mass of SHIELD agents, looking as annoyed as when they last saw him in their era.

“…Do you age?” Tony demanded as Fury stopped before them. He certainly didn’t look much older than the man they interacted with in the past.

Fury tilted his head to the side as he looked them over and then he stated, “Either the two of you got some hair dye and Botox and found a way to teleport here in time to save Spidey or I am dealing with more damn clones? You two are supposed to be two galaxies over right now. _Who are you_?”

“Apparently, we time traveling astronauts,” Tony replied ironically. “And, I need to know, do both of us get grey hairs? And who had the clone??”

Peter face palmed again as Fury’s face contorted with surprise and anger.

“Dad…Pops…please disregard everything said in the last thirty seconds,” Peter said in a muffled voice as his hand still covered his face.

Fury turned to Wade and growled, “Did you fucking time travel, _again_??”

“Slightly?”

“It’s a yes or no, Deadpool,” Fury grumbled. “By everyone’s indirect answers I can tell that’s a ‘yes’ and I’m talking to a younger Cap and Iron Man. What year are you two from?”

“2009,” Steve supplied.

“Jesus Mother Fucking Christ,” Fury cursed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He rounded on Wade and hissed, “You had to snatch them up just as they’re getting started??”

“We literally just reunited too,” Tony added. “ _Totally_ cockblocked us.”

Steve rolled his eyes at his fiancé. Of course, of all of the the little tidbits of information to latch onto, it had to be that factor. Tony smirked at Steve and pinched his arm in the same spot they’d used in their secret flirtation during the War. Steve wordlessly carded his fingers into Tony’s hand and the nanobots needed no prompting to move so that Steve was holding Tony’s flesh and blood hand. Steve lightly squeezed his hand in a silent promise.

Soon they’d be alone again and would continue where they left off. Steve didn’t mind waiting a little longer. After all, they were going to share a lifetime together.

“Deadpool, I didn’t think it was possible, but you just got a higher ranking on my shit list,” Fury growled.

Fury suddenly turned his ire on them and Steve and Tony both stiffened. Pointing at them, Fury hissed, “And you two, you’re going to get back into whatever you were wearing when you arrived and then you are going to stay in isolation until Cable arrives and escorts you both back to the past.”

“Why can’t I?” Wade whined.

“Two reasons: 2018. Juggernaut.”

“…Okay, that’s reasonable,” Wade murmured, backing off.

“…What year is it?” Steve asked incredulously. How far in the future were they?

Peter opened his mouth to reply but Fury stopped him by raising his hand in warning.

“The year isn’t your concern. The events of today are not your concern. Not even the clothes on your back are your concern,” Fury stayed. “Your only concern should be returning home and finding a way to not let the events of today affect your decisions in the future.”

“And here I was thinking of renaming Peter after you, Fury,” Tony sarcastically said.

“What!?” Peter squawked. “ _Dad_!”

Fury smirked and it was the first time Steve had actually seen him smile. The SHIELD director shook his head and murmured, “You two don’t change…alright, let’s pack this up, shall we?”

Steve and Tony were escorted to one of the vans and sat in what must’ve been a space they usually kept prisoners because the walls were bare, and you could only sit.

Peter took the shield and then held Tony’s hand to transfer the nanorobots over to him, leaving Tony in nothing but his boxers and Peter with a new backpack.

”Looks like we’ve got a few stragglers,” Peter murmured, gently touching a small cut on Tony’s neck. “Back to the pack guys...guys, c’mon!”

”...You know the first sign of a robot invasion is the robots not obeying orders,” Tony observed.

”They’re your nanobots, Dad,” Peter grumbled. “They usually only listen to you and their main priority is keeping you alive and healthy so this cut is complicating things a little with these first generation bots...”

Tony chuckled, “Ah, these must be Jarvis’s protege. Should I take over?”

Peter sighed heavily, “Go ahead...”

Tony cleared his throat and said, “Hey, nano-dudes, listen to my kid and skedaddle.”

Steve watched the whole thing with interest. He couldn’t see the robots in question but Pete must’ve with his large, lensed eyes because he pulled his hand away from Tony’s neck and said, “Got’em.”

Peter promised to return with a change of clothes and Wade followed him like a second shadow, happy to just be in his presence.

The door was closed and they were left alone in the windowless van but Steve still smiled in the direction the couple had disappeared. They clearly cared deeply for each other. It was going to be interesting seeing them meet and watching their relationship develop.

“Wade is smitten,” Steve observed. “He hasn’t left Peter’s side since the fight ended.”

“I can see where he’s coming from,” Tony murmured.

Taken a back, Steve asked, “What do you mean?”

“…He had to watch the person he loved most in this world die in front of him…” Tony paused and reached over to tightly grasp Steve’s hand. He whispered in a rougher voice, “To be given a second chance at that love is more than a blessing…it’s a gift, I’ll forever cherish it.”

Tony was clearly no longer talking about Wade and Peter. Steve stared deeply into Tony’s eyes and carded his fingers through Tony’s hand as he clenched it more securely. He whispered, “As will I…”

Tony lay his head on Steve’s shoulder and murmured, “This is your hourly reminder that I love you.”

Steve snorted and lay his head on Tony’s and whispered, “And I still love you too, sweetheart…”

Steve leaned into Tony and they held their hands between them in the fissure created by their parallel legs. Tony had sweated while out in the field so, as Steve lay his head on top of Tony’s, all he could smell was Tony. He closed his eyes and remembered the few nights they had alone together when all they could smell was their own sweat and the Vaseline they used as lubricant.

They’d have that again but this time there’d be no edge of fear about being discovered. They could just love and love and love and have no care in the world…Steve couldn’t wait.

He was more than ready to start his happily ever after with Tony.

“After we get home,” Steve whispered, the word “home” making his heart swell as he said it. He continued, “And, after we make love _several_ times…Let’s go on a date.”

“A date?” Tony asked, pulling back slightly to meet his eyes.

“A date, out in the open. I want to be a normal couple out in public,” Steve whispered, nuzzling his face against Tony’s. Tony nuzzled back with a small smile as he placed a hand over Steve’s heart. Steve smiled back and continued, “We can get a bite to eat and flirt without care…walk down the boardwalk holding hands, and I can kiss you without worrying who would see and talk...”

“Well, babe, I am sorta a celebrity so several someones can talk,” Tony teased, playfully rubbing his nose against Steve’s.

“So we’ll end up in some gossip rags, big deal,” Steve snorted. “We won’t be arrested or publicly shamed at least.” Steve smiled warmly at Tony and pressed his forehead to Tony’s as he whispered, “I don’t care what others think but I do want a night out with my fella and celebrate both of us being engaged.”

“You are the most romantic sap I know,” Tony teased, pressing back into Steve. “And I love it.”

Steve grinned and lightly pecked him on the lips.

“Wait until the media realizes you’re Captain America,” Tony whispered gleefully. “They are going to flip their shit!”

“I’m sure Fury will enjoy that too,” Steve observed dryly.

The van door opened and Peter had returned with the clothes. He too was back in his civilian clothes and even wore some glasses. He seemed unfazed by their intimate cuddling. He handed over the clothes and said, “I got Pops’ old jeans, but the rest is ‘future wear’ and has been inspected by Fury and deemed okay to wear. He words exactly being ‘So I won’t have to see a naked Stark running around’.”

They untangled from each other and then both slipped outside for the leg room to change and separated the clothing between them.

The Sinister Six were gathered together in a pile not too far away. Each man was handcuffed and hunched over in defeat with SHIELD agents surrounding them.

Steve was distracted for a moment as Tony hopped on one foot to get his leg in his new pants. Steve laughed at him and Tony playfully smacked him on his side so he hadn’t noticed that only five of the six were there.

A giant black plane suddenly appeared over them and Steve watch in stunned disbelief as it deftly turned and began to land straight down like a helicopter. Tony even paused in dressing to watch it and he gasped, “Please say I built that.”

“No, sorry Dad,” Peter replied. “That belongs to the X-Men.”

Steve and Tony quickly slipped on their black shirts as the plane landed. Steve had to do a double take on Tony when the shirt was on. The reactor shined through the fabric and he’d grown so used to helping him smother the light that it felt odd to see it out.

The plane landed in the meantime and several bodies jumped and flew out of the plane. One in particular, walked toward them with a heavy tread.

“Oh! That’s Cable,” Peter explained.

They both leaned into each other’s sides as Cable approached. Cable had a metal arm like Bucky but also one of his eyes were glowing red and Steve could see more robotic flesh on his neck. He wondered if Hydra had a hand in that just like they did with Bucky, but he knew he shouldn’t ask because of ramifications to the future.

Fury was at Cable’s side in moments. They greeted each other with tough nods and then Fury started to talk to him, probably giving him the low down on the situation.

“Pete, is this guy like a fucking Terminator?” Tony whispered to their future son.

“ _Do not_ ask him that!!” Peter immediately hissed back with an edge of panic. He looked around them and groaned, “Where did Wade go? We need that time glove…”

Cable and Fury came to a stop before them and Cable grumbled, “Before we go back to the past, I need to stab Wade at least three times.”

“I’ll gladly assist,” Fury added. “Parker, where’s your ball and chain?”

“I don’t know,” Peter replied, looking around the field. “Oh! There he is!”

Wade was running back to them, holding his lost arm.

“Guys, we sorta have a tiny glove sized problem,” Wade said as he slowed to a stop in the gathering.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Fury growled, glaring at the dead arm.

“The time glove was on my hand when the Goblin ripped it off so it just must be laying in the tall grass anywhere in between,” Wade rationalized. “Beast can probably sniff it out!”

“Wait! What??” Fury rounded on Wade and demanded, “Say that again!”

“…The – uh – Beast can sniff it out?”

“No…Did you say the Goblin?” Fury asked, his voice sharp and oddly quiet.

Steve barely knew the man, but the sound of Fury’s voice just now unnerved him. He wasn’t alone. The others too were quiet and looked between Fury and Wade with concern.

“I did?” Wade replied uneasily.

Fury cursed under his breath and turned around. He yelled to his agents, “I need to know the status on the Goblin NOW!”

Steve spun around to where the Sinister Six were gathered and quickly counted five heads. He gasped, “You don’t think –?”

Tony grabbed his forearm tightly and pulled on his arm as he gasped in a frightened voice, “ _Steve_!”

A swirl of the bright light exploded in the middle of the field. Steve also grabbed on to Tony and they scrambled back from the fireworks.

The Goblin stepped out of the light, in full goblin form, and smiling with large spiked teeth. He held his hand up and looked at the time glove, murmuring, “Right on time.”

Steve was used to being able to think up a plan at the drop of a dime but…as he stared at the glove on the demon’s hand, he felt his mind grow blank and fear tighten his throat.

The Goblin travel through time...he could have done _anything_ to the timeline.

“Osborn! Get your hands in the air!” Fury yelled as SHIELD agents began to surround the Goblin with weapons raised. Fury continued, “There’s no way out of this so come quietly!”

“Oh, but there is a way out…” The Goblin looked to where Steve, Tony, and Peter stood and then laughed, “I just wanted to see your faces when I destroy your timeline and lives right in front of you.”

Steve and Tony held each other tighter with Osborn’s words, but Tony’s grip tightened to an unbearable extent when the Goblin raised his hand, holding a glowing object.

It was an arc reactor, similar to Tony’s old one except this one had a plate around it saying: “Proof that Tony Stark has a heart.”

“What is that?” Steve hissed, not understanding.

“I went back to a night you wrote about in your biography, Stark. The night your mentor betrayed you and you almost died if it were not for this?” The Goblin turned the device in his hand and everyone in the area held their breath. Steve’s eyes focused on it and felt his breathing grow shallow. Did…Did the Goblin go back to that night? Did he take that reactor before Tony could use it? What would that mean for Tony?? The Goblin continued, “Since you will never write your biography…I hypothesize someone else will probably write: ‘If only Stark’s original reactor did not disappear that fateful night, he might have lived.’”

Tony inadvertently clutched his chest and gasped, “Listen, it’s Osborne, right? You don’t have to do this. Just give us back the reactor and we’ll return it to the past. I’m sure Fury will take into account your willingness to hand it over when handing you over to the judge.”

The Goblin turned the reactor in his claws and whispered menacingly, “But if you are dead then all my problems will go away. Your son will never become Spider Man. The Avengers will never form. Your company will flounder while my will flourish. No…I don’t think I will return the reactor. I think I might just crush it.”

Tony swayed and leaned heavily into Steve and Steve was horrified to see the reactor in Tony’s chest flicker.

Memories of the changing Iron Man suit flooded Steve’s mind. The technology changed when the past had been altered.

The arc reactor was a part of Tony’s body but it too was technology. It too could change.

If the Goblin destroyed the reactor and Tony never had the chance to use it…what did that mean for the Tony in his arms now?

“Norman, killing Stark would do more than solve your problems,” Fury cautioned. “He’s done a lot for the world. Remember the fall of Hydra? The Chitauri? Ultron? Thanos? None of those victories could have been accomplished without him. Think of the fate of the Earth or, at least, think of your own son. What if he doesn’t survive? In any of those instances, he could have died if it were not for Stark and the Avengers.”

The Goblin looked at the reactor thoughtfully and, for a moment, Steve thought Fury may had gotten through to the beast.

But then the Goblin smiled manically at them and Steve reached for his shield to try and stop him, but Peter had already taken it back to the locker room. So no one was able to stop the Goblin as he crushed the reactor in his grasp.

Tony clutched his heart and the light instantly went out in his chest. His scared eyes met Steve’s and then his hands slipped from Steve as he fell.

Steve felt like he was moving in slow motion as he reached out to his fiancé. Tony seemed to be moving at normal speed so Steve wasn’t quick enough to catch him.

He distantly heard Peter scream out to his father and Fury command his men to attack but…

Steve didn’t see what happened to the Goblin because his entire future was on the ground in a crumpled heap.

Steve fell to his knees and grasped Tony tightly and frantically whisper, “Tony??”

It was all too fast. His mind could barely keep up with what was happening before him.

“S-Steve,” Tony gasped, his voice barely discernible.

The glow was gone from the reactor so he ripped back Tony’s shirt to see if there was anything he could do but he was horrified to see the reactor wasn’t even there.

It was just an empty hole.

Like it had never been there…like he’d never had the chance to build it because…

Tony weakly grasped Steve’s hand and, in a hushed voice, said, “I…I can’t feel anything.”

The edges of Tony’s body began to opaque and the hand over Steve’s was barely visible in seconds.

“Oh my God,” Steve gasped, clutching Tony tightly.

The love of his life was literally disappearing before his eyes and, despite all of Steve’s strengths, he couldn’t do anything to stop it.

He dug his fingers in Tony’s shirt and moaned, “No, no, no, no, no!! Sweetheart, stay with me!!”

Without looking away from Steve, Tony’s eyes slowly closed.

“Baby, no!” Steve gasped, desperately cupping the side of Tony’s face. “Please, sweetie, hold on! We have a date remember! And - And we're going to get married! Adopt Peter! Grow old together! Please, hold on!”

“H-hourly reminder…” Tony whispered, his voice barely discernible. He turned his head into Steve’s touch and quietly said, “Love...you.”

“Ton –.”

Before he could say anything, Tony disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Steve fell forward and his fingers speared into the damp grass where Tony had been laying moments before. There was no sign of him.

He stared at his empty hands in horror.

In the background, agents were screaming, the Goblin was laughing, and Peter was sobbing…but all Steve could hear was the roaring of blood in his ears.

Tony was gone.

And he wasn’t whisked away to another era or frozen.

Steve’s arms began to shake and he dug his fingers deeper into the damp ground.

Visions and hopes for their future flitted away into the desolate chasm that was forming in his heart.

The past had been severely altered and – and…

Tony…Tony was dead.


	4. You’re not Going to Believe this...We Gotta Go Back to 1955!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! Real life, you know? But anyways, enjoy the newest chapter! :D

“Cap! C’mon, Cap! I need you with me!”

Someone was shaking him, but Steve didn’t notice. His life and vision had narrowed to where his hands gripped the cold ground where the love of his life once lay. But now the space was a horrible void just like the empty feeling in his chest.

Dear God…Tony – Tony was…

 _“CAP!_ Snap out of it!”

He was wrenched upward and then slapped hard across the face. His eyes focused on the figure in front of him, the owner of the time glove, Cable.

The man was holding him by the scruff of his shirt and practically snarling at him.

“You with me??” Cable demanded, shaking him a little more.

“Y-Yes,” Steve replied, his voice wobbly as he felt like he didn’t know how to use it.

“Good, I need you to stand at least. Can you do that?”

Steve nodded. Follow simple commands? Yes, he could wholeheartedly agree to that. It was simple and wouldn’t jeopardize the fragile sanity he was barely clinging to.

Because Tony was dead.

Steve nearly fell over at the thought and collapsed onto Cable instead. It felt like the weight of his sorrow tried to push him back down and Steve tried to take a steadying breath, but it just turned into a shuddering sob.

Tony died in his arms and he could do nothing – _nothing_ to save him.

He just disappeared. Steve couldn’t even hold him anymore.

Once more, Steve lost Tony _again_ but this time it wasn’t Steve crashing to his death. Steve could handle dying…he _could_ _not_ handle Tony dying.

He would never hold Tony again – never kiss him – never laugh with him – never _live_ with him again.

The fact continued to pierce his very soul and a part of him still refused to believe the cold hard facts. It was just too cruel that’d he’d lose Tony this way just as they were reunited.

His mind stopped functioning past the fact that Tony was gone. Anything else, including how he was supposed to function in this new world without his fiancé, he couldn’t envision.

Living in the 21st century without Tony was a world he never thought he’d have to imagine.

“Keep it together, Cap. Or we’re not going to be able to get your better half back,” Cable said, pushed Steve back from him to straighten him up.

The breath caught in Steve’s throat and his chest seized so tightly that his heart couldn’t possibly beat anymore.

Did he just say –?!

Steve grabbed Cable and demanded, “What did you say?”

Cable grasped his shoulder and assured him, “We’re going to get Stark back.”

All Steve knew about Cable was his name and it was his device that could move them through time but, at that moment, he wanted to hug him tightly and with as much feeling as he would Bucky or Tony.

A tiny kernel of hope fizzled to life and just barely fused a few pieces of his broken heart together.

That was right. Cable was a time traveler too and he was wearing the glove again. He must’ve gotten it back from the Goblin! They could go back – _they_ _could_ _save_ _Tony_!

Tony didn’t have to die!!

A small hopeful smile cracked Steve’s lips and his resolve steadied him.

He finally noticed that everyone around them were frozen and still as statues. The Goblin was being overwhelmed with SHIELD agents and Peter was on the ground not too far from where they stood with Wade at his side. He was holding up a hand before him, his fingers opaque like Tony’s had been.

Steve looked away sharply and clenched his fingernails deep into his palms.

Good God…not him too.

Any good feeling he had disappeared when he saw the same thing that had happened to Tony was going to happen to their future son.

More than Tony’s life was riding on this…

How many people had Tony saved over the years? How many more were going to disappear?

He looked to Cable instead and asked, “What happened to all of them?”

Cable held up the time glove, now affixed to his hand like it was made to be there and said, “I paused time for everyone but us.”

“Why?” Steve asked.

“When Osborn crushed the reactor, he destroyed the only thing that had saved Stark’s life all those years ago and unraveled everything he had done…He’s created a paradox that very well may unravel time as we know it.” Cable stated. “Which is why we’re going back to fix it.”

Hope constricted his heart in a tight vice, but it was now laced with acidic fear.

The space time continuum was fragile. He knew from his own experiences how easy it was to change time…what if they couldn’t save Tony?

“ _How_?” Steve gasped, “The reactor was destroyed!”

“I know,” Cable replied, his rough voice a little softer in that moment. “We’re going to rebuild it.”

The Goblin had _crushed_ the reactor. Steve gasped, “Is it even possible?”

“It’ll take time, but I’ll be able to do it,” Cable promised. He nodded to the frozen mass of bodies where the Goblin was in the middle of it all and he said, “I can only keep time frozen for half an hour more or it’ll start to warp. We have that time to find all of the remains of the reactor and then go back in time to fix this.”

“We need to stop the Goblin before he gets anywhere near Tony or his reactor,” Steve hissed.

“We can’t try to stop the Goblin from stealing the reactor in the first place without altering time more,” Cable stated with absolute certainty. “He’s a strong foe and confronting him in the past will do more damage than good. We can’t risk him killing another influential person. So we’re going to slink after him and fix everything he changes. _Mainly_ , we’re going to replace the reactor so Stark doesn’t die but first we need to collect the pieces and fix it.”

“But –!”

“We’re running out of time, Cap,” Cable stated. “We need to collect as much of the reactor as we can if we want it to work.”

Steve nodded stiffly and needed no more encouragement to trudge forward and look for the remains.

\---

Steve took off his shirt and tied off the bottom to make it into a makeshift bag and then used it to collect the pieces in it to keep them all together. The main body of the reactor was the first piece he added and it was crumbled like a balled up piece of paper. It made Steve uneasy. How on Earth was Cable going to fix this?

He stopped altogether when he came across the pieces to the circular placard that had been around it.

He picked them all up and then held the four pieces in his hand, reading Tony’s name and the word “heart” and…and feeling his heart begin to crumble again. Tony did have a heart and, with it, he loved Steve and they were engaged and were finally going to go on a date and…

Tony was dead.

Steve repressed a sob and, with a shuddering breath, reminded himself that he and Cable were going to fix this. They were going to the past and they were going to save Tony.

They _had_ to.

Cable dropped a few more smaller pieces into the bag and he murmured, “These will have to do. We’ll scavenge for extra parts in the other era. We’re out of time.”

Steve nodded and added the placard to the pile and then tied the other end of the shirt so it was sealed up.

He spared one last glance to the chaotic future they were leaving behind and prayed to God that they’d find a way to fix it.

“Wait…There’s one more thing we need,” Cable said suddenly and ran back to the house.

Steve uneasily adjusted his hold on the reactor and waited for the other to come back.

Cable was quick and held what looked like a scrap of paper in his grip. When he ran back to Steve’s side, he handed him the paper and, as Steve accepted it, he realized it was a photograph.

It was the same photograph he and Tony had looked at an hour earlier of their future wedding. It was different though. The bottom half of Tony's body had disappeared and, as he watched, the fading slowly encroached up, eating away more of Tony.

“When we get to the past it’ll stop fading until Tony’s future is altered by the Goblin. When the Goblin steals the reactor, it’ll start to fade again. We’ll use it to determine when to replace the reactor and to see if any of our actions alter the future.”

Steve nodded and carefully folded the photograph and then slipped it into his pocket.

“We need to go now,” Cable stated, frowning at the device on his wrist.

Steve looked to Peter as Cable put his hand on his shoulder and didn’t look away as the time traveler stated, “It’s going to get bumpy.”

This very well may be the last time Steve would see his and Tony’s son and he wanted to hold onto the moment for as long as he could…because Peter was the future he and Tony should have…not this.

The oh too familiar bright lights surround him and his hand reached to his side unconsciously feeling for Tony’s hand. When he met nothing but air, he bitterly shut it and dropped his head as they were whisked away to the past.

\---

Steve stumbled a little when they landed but managed to stay on his feet this time. They were in a new place again. It was a closed off room with a lot of old lockers with what looked like mostly junk but Steve’s eyes focused and he saw guns, bullets, and materials for building more weapons. There was also an old cot, a small tv sitting on a slanted table, a desk cover in grime and wires, and a floor lamp which Cable proceeded to turn on.

“Where are we?” Steve asked as he slowly turned to take it all in. There was also a door, bolted shut with five deadbolts and a board across the middle. It wouldn’t be easy to get in or out unless you teleported as they did.

“This is the hideout for my unit for the early 21st Century, until I team up with X-Force that is…” Cable replied, walking over to his table and dropping the time glove on it. He turned and motioned for the remains of the reactor.

Steve handed it over as gently as possible, but Cable upturned the shirt and everything inside clunked it down next to the glove, making Steve flinch at the sound. He tossed Steve back his shirt and Steve untied it and put it back on. 

Cable got to work immediately. He plugged the glove into something and then rummaged in his various drawers, quietly mumbling to himself as he pulled out various objects.

“Are _you_ going to fix it?” Steve asked incredulously. He was under the impression Tony was the only one who knew how to use arc reactors.

“I usually keep my gear and my cybernetic limbs in good repair, so I should be able to repair something as archaic as an arc reactor,” Cable replied.

Steve couldn’t help but snort. Time travel made him a little loopy. Especially since the arc reactor was one of the most amazing pieces of technology he’d ever seen…moreso since…since it had kept Tony alive and Cable was calling it archaic.

Steve bit down on the inside of his lip as he remembered his fiancé. He asked, “So…We’re in the past now? Tony…Tony is alive in this era?”

Cable stopped moving and then slowly turned to Steve. He cautioned, “You cannot approach him. It is the year 2008. This is several months before he time traveled and meets you. He doesn’t know who you are.”

It hurt thinking they were strangers again on Tony’s end…but the hurt was overshadowed by the overwhelming joy he felt knowing Tony was alive.

“But he’s alive,” Steve pressed, his voice breaking a little as he needed the assurance.

“Yes, he is alive. Look at the photo. It should have stopped fading because the future isn’t set here. Our presence should already be altering the future the Goblin created,” Cable replied. Steve pulled out the photo and saw Cable was right. The fading had stopped. Half of Tony’s body was gone but his upper half was still there and it was no longer fading.

It was more than just an image they could determine the future – it was their future – the future he and Tony dreamed of. A future in which they’d marry, and they’d take this photo, posed in the way so both of their wedding bands were shown: Steve’s hand, clutching Tony’s cheek and the Tony’s hand pressed against Steve’s heart. Both rings were still visible in the picture and it gave Steve hope.

Cable’s talking continued as Steve peered down at the image, “I brought us ahead a few weeks before the event in question to give me enough time to rebuild the reactor and to give the time glove time to recharge. So, he is very much alive right now and will not be in danger until the Goblin makes his move. But under absolutely no circumstance are you to approach him.”

Steve was anxious to see Tony – even a Tony who did not know him, as long as he could see that he was alive and well…Steve would feel a million times better. But he knew it was not an option. He would never put Tony’s life in jeopardy like that. Steve swore to Cable, “I will not risk Tony’s life.”

Cable nodded, satisfied with his word, and turned back to the desk.

Steve refolded the photo carefully, making sure not to create anymore creases and then put it back into his pocket. He looked around the room again, his body still restless from the events of the far-off future.  

It was surreal thinking he’d traveled through time _again_. Being in that secluded room with no view of the outside baffled the notion more.

But he trusted Cable. He was going to save Tony after all.

“So…what do we do until then?” Steve asked as he lightly touched a spot on the wall that probably had once been a window but was now plastered up bricks.

“Surveillance mostly,” Cable stated and turned on a few monitors above his head. “We need to find the Goblin and then see what changes he’s going to make and then fix them. I’ve got a few people I can contact to help keep us informed. In the meantime, however, I’m going to start repairing the reactor.”

“What about Tony?” Steve demanded. The Goblin could be approaching him right now.

“We don’t have to worry about Stark until he needs the reactor. The Goblin is a twisted fuck which is why he went back to the future with the reactor. He probably wanted you and Peter to watch while Stark begged for his life or just for you two to see him die. He _hates_ your family, Peter especially. He’d do anything to not only kill Peter but torture him along the way…”

Steve’s blood boiled and he felt protective for the son he’d yet to raise.

“Sit tight, Cap,” Cable assured him. “We’ll stop him.”

Steve stiffly nodded and sat down on the cot, the only other available seating other than the chair Cable was sitting on at the desk.

Cable wasn’t much of a talker and wordlessly hunched over the reactor, immediately getting to work putting it back together.

Steve felt fidgety. He wanted to help – to do something – _anything_. This wasn’t some Howling Commando mission scouting out for info… _This was Tony_.

Steve knew Cable needed the time to repair the reactor and he knew they could not do anything for Tony until the Goblin made his move. Steve could do nothing but wait and it was frustrating. It was even more frustrating to know that it'd be weeks before they could act too. 

He did the only thing he could do with his limited resources and abilities…He strength trained.

He started with pushups. He never counted to see how many he could do and now would be the perfect time to start, he had weeks after all. Weeks of waiting until they could finally help Tony. It was smart on Cable’s part. It’d give him enough time to repair the reactor in an era he knew to be safe. All this waiting, however, was just going to drive Steve insane. The pushups distracted him enough as he counted them in his mind.

He reached 132 when Cable finally spun around and glared at him.

“What are you doing?” Cable demanded.

Steve paused and then sat up on his knees and replied, “Pushups.”

“Obviously, but why?”

“…What else am I to do?” Steve countered.

Cable sighed and rubbed his forehead for a few seconds before looking back to Steve again. He got to his feet and walked over to the bed. He pulled a long, flat rectangular object out from underneath. He opened it and said, “This is a laptop. You can use this to distract yourself while I work.”

Steve took it and asked, “What do I do with it?”

“Learn. You’re new to this century and, with this, you are able to access the internet, a nearly unlimited database of information. You can learn about the history that has passed since you went down. Or, you can research our enemy, the Goblin, otherwise known as Norman Osborn in this era. In this century, he’s yet to create the Goblin formula but he is still a ruthless businessman. Or you can play mindless computer games. Everything is available on this so, please, stop huffing and puffing and be quiet.”

Steve smiled gratefully at the other man and said, “Thank you, I think I’ll do all that…bar the mindless games…”

Cable smirked and murmured, “Try playing only one round of Bejeweled and you’ll be singing a new tune.”

Cable gave him a quick basic lesson, on how to use the laptop and the internet and even found him some headphones to be able to watch videos without disturbing Cable and then Steve was searching in no time. He first looked up information on the end of World War II, like Cable had suggested, but, as soon as the other man was immersed in his work again at the table, Steve wrote Tony’s name into the search bar.

A list of websites appeared, his Wikipedia being the first, followed by his company, and then various news articles…but Steve’s eyes were drawn to the tiny boxes with Tony’s picture, prompting him to see more if he hit to images tab.

He did just that and he had to muffle his mouth to keep from making a noise.

The image quality was amazing compared to the few photographs he'd seen in the forties. He clicked on one of Tony staring straight into the camera. It was the closest thing Steve had to staring into his eyes again and he did just that, staring into those dark hazel eyes as his heart twinged painfully.

Their reunion had been tragically short and their separation had been an undeniable horror. 

He wished he could touch him…to feel his warmth and the beating of his heart. He wanted to hear his “hourly” reminder that he loved Steve and then Steve would wholeheartedly agree to loving him as well. He wanted to hold his hand or…even go back to simply pinching his arm again. He’d be willing to even just look at him…watch him from afar if that meant he could visually confirm he was alive.

Being told so wasn’t enough.

But Steve knew he couldn’t do any of that right now without affecting the future. He had to wait for Tony’s sake. It was going to be the hardest thing Steve had ever done but he’d do it for Tony.

The only thing that assured him was, if they succeeded, then he’d be back in Tony’s arms and they’d be going on that date they talked about like nothing had ever happened.

Steve touched the screen, running his fingertips over the image of Tony’s jaw and swore to himself that they would succeed.

He went back to his research but kept the window with Tony’s image up so, when he needed to take a break, he would close everything else down and look into his fiancé’s eyes and gain determination from his strong gaze.

\---

Five days later, Steve was probably an expert in the history between his and Tony’s eras and also proficient in Norman Osborn.

He was also starving.

He beadily eyed the energy bar Cable had tossed him. Cable seemed fine living off them alone, but Steve’s body burned through the calories provided pretty fast with his metabolism alone. He said, “I’m getting hungry…do we have anything more than this?”

Cable ate half of his in one mighty bite and replied with a full mouth, “This is all I got.”

“Could…Could we go out and purchase more?” Steve asked.

 Cable frowned deeply at the question and then murmured, “You want us to go out and… _purchase_ food in a timeline neither of us are supposed to be in?”

“This isn’t enough for me,” Steve countered, holding up his bar. “My metabolism is burning it up within the hour. I won’t be able to go on much longer…”

Cable sighed heavily and then murmured, “Fine. We’ll go to the local supermarket, but you are to do exactly as I say, understood?”

Steve jumped to his feet and gasped, “Yes!”

\---

After Cable removed all the locks, bolts, and the wooden partition, they stepped out into sun. Steve took a moment to absorb some of its rays and then breathed in the fresh air deeply. The scent of sea salt filled his nose and immediately brought back memories of reaching Tony’s house on the sea cliffs. The joyous memory unfortunately was overlaid with a bitter sadness.

He missed Tony so much…

They were on the second floor, overlooking a courtyard with a pool. There were several other units that surround the courtyard with a pool that then opened up to a beach. Cable relocked the door and said, “This place houses vacation flats so it’s usually pretty empty. Better yet, it’s within walking distance of a supermarket. Let’s go before anyone sees us.”

Steve wordlessly followed Cable as he took them down the staircase next to his studio. The cement stairs were slick with a fine layer of sand so the people who used the units probably trailed the beach sand back frequently. He couldn’t help but wonder which beach it was. Where in the world were they that Cable decided to put his hideaway.

When they left the building, they exited right onto a busy street. There was a giant white shell on the outside of the building so Steve doubted they’d have any trouble finding it again. He silently followed Cable, his eyes always moving as he took in the new environment he was entering. The car plates immediately told him he was in California and, with all of the sand everywhere and the smell of salt in the air, it was obvious they were on the coast. But, California had hundreds of miles of coast, so his narrowed down list was still fairly large.

The supermarket was small and, with all of the souvenirs seemed to cater to tourists more than locals.

Steve came to an immediate stop next to the postcards at the front door.

He read the italicized city name several times before, with a gaping mouth, he gasped, “We’re in Malibu.”

“ _Cap_ ,” Cable said with warning, returning to his side.

“We are in _Malibu_ ,” Steve repeated accusatory.

“We needed to be near Stark in case something happened. If we were on the other side of the country we would’ve been no good to him.”

“All this time – you said nothing – Tony could’ve been walking down the street and I could have –,” Steve aggressively replied.

“You could have what? _Said hello_?” Cable countered in a hiss.

“I could have just seen him and be assured he was okay!” Steve growled.

He had raised his voice a little too loud so had drawn the attention of the man behind the counter. Steve and Cable both backed off each other immediately and Cable even nodded to the man in a way to reassure him. He grabbed a basket and then grabbed Steve roughly by the arm and walked him down an aisle with chips and nuts.

He threw a few bags into the basket and hissed, “Where we are does not change anything. We are still in the same era. We still can change the future…and we still have to save Stark’s life. You two interacting in this era can change that. You _cannot_ see him.”

Steve wanted to break free from Cable’s grip and run down the highway to Tony all over again. The temptation was real and there and the only thing holding him back were Cable’s words.

He slumped in Cable’s hold and the larger man slowly let go of Steve. When Steve made no move to go running after Tony, Cable grumbled, “Grab some food. We’re getting the hell back to the apartment pronto.”

Steve wordlessly nodded and dragged his feet after Cable, pulling food off the shelves at random until his arms were full. When they got to the counter, Cable gave the cashier a plastic card and it paid for all the food.

By the time they returned to their safe house, Steve didn’t feel hungry anymore…instead his heart yearned for the man who had yet to know him in this era.

Cable was grumbling to himself again as he sat back down at his desk with a bag of SunChips. Steve lay down on the bed and pulled the photo from the future out of his pocket. He stared at it for a long time…because, this, this was what he was striving for…

He carefully put the photo back into his pocket and then opened the laptop. As soon as he clicked on the search bar, it suggested Tony’s name. Steve smiled bitterly at the screen and then selected it. He found a new video of Tony he’d yet to watch and put in his headphones before hitting play. He leaned onto his arm as Tony began to talk about a new missile his company had produced.

Steve’s eyes welled up as he watched the online Tony joke and smile.

He missed him so much…

It had been days since he lost him...days that they’d lost out on...

It hurt more so knowing Tony was so close, but Steve had to stay so far away.

Cable’s back was to him so he figured the man didn’t notice his upset. However, he had been too focused on Tony’s image to see Cable glance over his shoulder at him. The deep-set frown that seemed chiseled into his face lessened slightly and he thoughtfully looked back to the reactor.

\---

“You know, as long as you don’t approach Stark or attempt to change history…you are allowed to go out,” Cable stated the next day.

Steve looked up from the laptop in surprise. Did he hear what he just thought he heard?

“What about the future?” Steve asked uneasily, like reminding Cable of the possibility would change his mind.

Cable shrugged and said, “From now until you and Stark are reunited after you wake hinges on Stark. If you don’t interact with him and I fix this reactor in time, everything should be fine. I’ve been traveling through the past for years and haven’t disrupted much because I kept an eye on the big stuff.”

Steve would love to go outside. Being cooped up in that tiny apartment with an unsocial Cable for days on end with only the laptop was driving him insane. He could go running again and drink in the rays of the sun and live a little instead of counting down the days.

He just couldn’t see Tony. The thought made him sad, but he had to be strong for Tony’s sake.

“So?” Cable asked.

“…You trust me to go out there and not go looking for Tony?” Steve countered.

“You may not remember me, Cap,” Cable retorted. “But I remember you. The man I remember loved his husband more than life itself and I know you’ll do nothing to jeopardize his life. You had to watch him die once and I bet that is one time too many for you…”

Steve nodded, wholeheartedly agreeing with that assessment.

“Then I will simply remind you that you’ll risk his life if you approach him. Stay away from him and he will be safe,” Cable stated.

Steve nodded and excitedly got to his feet. Cable held up his hand to stop him and Steve paused in confusion. Cable reached into one of the satchels on his waist and pulled out the card he’d used the other day to pay for the food. He held it out to Steve and said, “To eat and to buy some clothes for yourself. I have a change for myself here, but you don’t and you’re starting to stink.”

Steve smirked and accepted the card, saying, “Thanks.”

“Let off some steam, Cap,” Cable said and turned back to the reactor.

The reactor was a shell of its former self. Cable totally took it apart and the many pieces were strewn all over the table. So far, he fixed the shell. It was no longer crushed but back to its original shape and now he seemed to be fixing the internal pieces that had been crushed as well. It was encouraging to see but Steve wouldn’t feel too optimistic until it was totally fixed and back where Tony could use it.

“Then…I think I’ll explore the area,” Steve said.

“Don’t draw attention to yourself,” Cable said, waving him off in his way of saying goodbye.

Steve smiled gratefully at him and said, “Thank you.”

Cable didn’t turn around, but he did grumble something indistinguishable and kept working on the reactor.

Steve went to the beach. He stuck his feet under the hot sand and sat down to watch the tide. His eyes were ultimately drawn north and he saw the familiar shape of the cliff Tony’s home was situated on. He smiled at it bitterly but made no move to get any closer to it.

He missed Tony desperately…but he wasn’t going to risk his life just to see him.

\---

Running became the perfect distractor.

Steve used Cable’s credit card and got himself some running shoes and clothes and was soon daily running down the PCH and through the many meandering canyons of Malibu. The dry heat of California was nothing compared to the muggy, humid heat he was used to in New York. Paired with the cool breeze coming off the Pacific, he felt like he could run forever.

It was never a coincidence that his runs always led him past Tony’s house. He never approached the gates or paused across the street. He just ran by, making sure the Goblin wasn’t in sight and…and, a small part of him hoped he’d see Tony outside – even if it was just a passing glance.

He didn’t tell Cable. He knew the stoic man would not approve. It was risky and stupid, but Steve had to do this at least. He could not go near the love of his life, but he could make sure he was safe.

The Goblin could already be in this timeline and Steve knew the space time continuum was fickle. His and Cable’s presences may alter the Goblin’s plans and he wanted to be there for Tony if such a thing occurred.

So Steve ran.

Steve ran and ran and ran. He ran past Tony’s and then he ran some more.

It became a routine and calmed him.

Cable offered him a razor and shaving cream when his scruff became noticeable, but Steve forwent it, not wanting to shave until their mission was done and Tony was safe. When his growing beard itched, he’d imagine Tony’s reaction to it and his fingers running through the coarse hair. With the serum, everything in him was faster, including his hair growth so within the week the scruff was gone. He trimmed his beard so he didn’t look shaggy but didn’t touch his hair…he just pulled it back when it got too long.

When he looked in the mirror, he felt like he was looking at a stranger and it wasn’t because of the beard or the longer hair…His eyes had no light and his expression was empty.

So…he ran.

And ran and ran…and then ran by Tony’s.

And waited for the day to come that he could stop running and stand with Tony again.

He started to run by Tony’s twice, once in the morning and then just after twilight.

It was exactly a week until the day Tony would need the reactor to save himself when Steve was running by the house just after the twilight and something exploded within.

The first booming sound made Steve almost trip over his own feet and he immediately spun around to look to the building he’d just ran by. The relative peace of the area made him complacent. He’d grown used to it and was completely thrown by the noise.

It was the second boom that got Steve moving. He ran to the property without a second thought, his apprehensive mind was totally focused on Tony’s fate.

He leapt over the fence and an alarm started to blare. He ignored it and ran to the small plume of smoke rising out of the roof. Steve grabbed whatever he could to propel himself up and memories of his last moments with Tony spurned him to move faster.

When he was on the roof and his hands were empty he couldn’t help but remember the even more empty feeling in his hands when Tony had disappeared.

 _Not_ _again_.

There was a hole in the roof and Steve leapt into it. The hole went right through the roof and the floor below. Steve spared the first floor a quick scan to make sure there were no enemies.

“You are not permitted on the premises,” Jarvis’s familiar voice warned. “The authorities have been notified.”

“Here to help,” Steve told the AI and the jumped down into the second hole.

\---

Tony’s back was aching from where he had landed on his 1967 Shelby Cobra. The car was completely destroyed along with the floor above and his roof where he had attempted to land. But it was barely a blip on his radar right now because his suit could _fly_.

The Mark II was surpassing everything he had imagined, and the Mark III was going to be even better once he got the icing problem fixed. He lifted his face shield and was about to have his bots remove the suit when the house alarm went off.

“There is an intruder headed your way, Sir,” Jarvis warned. “He bypassed the fence and got to the roof in a matter of seconds. I have contacted the authorities but he will reach you in a few more moments.”

Tony snapped the face shield down and turned back to the Shelby Cobra just as the said intruder landed on the ruined vehicle. The man lost his footing on the crumpled car and fell back on to his back very similarly to how Tony had landed.

The man wasn’t wearing an armored suit however and, with the high ceilings in his workshop, he doubted the man hadn’t broke one or more bones in the fall.

DUM-E was still sitting next to the car and dutifully pointed the fire extinguisher at the man and released the burst of fire squelching chemicals. Tony almost laughed aloud at the situation. Before the intruder could move, he coughed madly as he inhaled it and blindly staggered to his feet as he pitifully called out, “ _Tony_.”

“Sir –,” Jarvis began to warn but Tony ignored him in favor of walking up to the unarmed man. His suit’s tread was loud in the garage and made him feel more imposing as he stepped in front of the intruder. 

He expected a multitude of reactions to his suit. It was the epitome of robotics engineering and like nothing the world had seen. He expected awe or, at least, some kind of form of surprise.

Not the expression of relief…

And then horror.

“Oh, my God. You – You didn’t see me,” the man garbled, backing away from him. “I wasn’t here. I – I just thought you were in trouble – I heard this explosion, saw the smoke – so I came to help but you’re fine, so I’ll go…”

The intruder went to run out of the garage exit, but Tony blasted himself between him and the exit. Tony said, “Whoa! Wait up! You’re not leaving that easily!”

His would-be-savior jumped back from Tony like he had the plague. He even flinched at the sound of Tony’s voice and turned back to him. Despite being covered in fire extinguisher ash, his expression was easy to read and he was clearly conflicted by something prevailing. Whatever it was, the intruder was torn by it as he looked at Tony.

“Are you okay?” Tony asked gently, concerned by this man’s actions.

The man let out a sardonic laugh, but it cut off and he looked like he was going to cry.

What the fuck…

“I’m…I’m sorry, Tony…just – just forget I was here,” he whispered and then…

Then he fucking jumped off the wall and back up the hole he had leapt through a moment earlier.

“What. The. Actual. Fuck?” Tony gasped, as he looked up to where the intruder disappeared _two stories up_. “J, did I just hallucinate that?”

“No, Sir, that happened and the man has already exited the property and it running south along the highway,” Jarvis replied.

“…He’s running?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Tony looked at the undamaged Audi R8 by the garage exit and ripped off his armor. He’d test the disassembly system for the suit later. He needed to find out who this guy was. Why was he at his house? And how was he able to get in and out of his house so easily??

Once free of the armor, he leapt into the Audi and sped out of the garage. He calmly adjusted the gears as he went faster and he asked Jarvis, “You still have an eye on his guy?”

“You’re approaching him now, Sir.”

Tony saw him running ahead of him on the road and put his hand back on the gear shaft. As soon as he caught up, he quickly turned his wheel, went down several gears, and slammed on his breaks as he came to a stop right in front of the intruder. The man skidded to a stop and met Tony’s gaze with large eyes through the passenger window. Tony lowered the window and haughtily said, “I wasn’t done talking.”

“Please,” the man begged, the pleading in his voice piercing Tony’s very soul at the sound. The man continued, “Forget me. _Just_ _go_ _home_.”

Before Tony could say anything, he leapt off the cliffside.

Tony scrambled out of his car yelling for Jarvis to call paramedics and then he looked over the side and…and saw the intruder had fallen hundreds of feet to the beach below and…and was running again.

“What the fuck…” Tony gasped, watching the figure become smaller until he disappeared around a bend. He stumbled back to his car and whispered, “Cancel the emergency services, J…find out who that guy is instead.”

“Yes, sir.”

\---

Steve ran faster than he ever had in his life.

He lost Tony when he went over the cliff but Tony saw him – _spoke_ _to_ _him_.

He’d done the one thing Cable had warned him not to do! What was going to happen now?? What was going to change??

Steve went straight back to the apartment, running along the beach to get there.

Cable was hunched over at the table as always but he sat up sharply when Steve burst into the room. Cable asked him something but Steve didn’t hear him. He went to the side table beside the bed and grabbed the photo he had left there.

Gasping for breath after pushing himself to run his fastest, Steve stared down at the photo, looking for any changes.

Tony’s image was still half faded and, at first glance, everything looked fine. Steve sagged with relief. Maybe Tony wouldn’t note the peculiar incident in the long run.

When Cable saw the photo in his hand, he put two and two together and he leapt to his feet and demanded, “What the fuck did you do?!”

Cable ripped the photo from his hand and squinted at the photo. He lowered the photo and, in a measured, seething voice, hissed, “What did you do?”

“It’s okay, nothing’s changed!”

“Nothing!?” Cable shoved the photo back in his hands and pointed at Steve’s hand in the photo and hissed, “You telling me this isn’t a change??”

His pinkie was gone.

Steve looked to his hand and saw the pinkie was still there but he looked back to the photo and saw the pinkie there was gone, faded like Tony had.

Steve stared at the photo in shock and Cable growled, “Now your future is starting to disappear!  _What. Did. You. Do??”_


	5. Calvin? Wh – Why do you keep calling me Calvin?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally had to rewatch Iron Man twice and rewrite this entire chapter like three times until I was satisfied with it! XD  
> So sorry for the wait but the space time continuum is a bitch and I had to make sure everything adds up correctly so it'll all make sense in the end! :)

Tony taped a fresh ice packet on his shoulder and the cold sank into his aching joint with a welcome relief. It had hurt something fierce since he fell on the Cobra but now it was throbbing after he wildly moved around to try to catch the intruder. The Shelby Cobra was still an untouched ruin since both he and the stranger fell on it, but DUM-E took the initiative to spray it twice with the fire extinguisher within the last hour, so Tony knew it was in good hands.

He sat down at his desk and opened all eight screens to see what Jarvis found on the mystery man in the amount of time it took for him to get home and iced.

Which was very, _very_ little…

All Jarvis could tell him was that it hadn’t been able to find the guy in DMV or even Facebook…

It was 2008, he didn’t think it was possible for people _not_ to have a Facebook.

Even _Obie_  had one.

BUT Jarvis _had_ at least found a little something. The AI had recorded this guy running by the property twice a day for the last week. In other words, _the mystery man’s appearance was not a coincidence._

Yet, Tony did not know how to place him. Who was he? Was he keeping an eye on Tony? And why the hell did he _not_ have a Facebook?

And how was he able to jump like he did? Was he some kind of acrobat? 

Tony sighed heavily in frustration. He was getting nowhere…and, on top of all of this, he had an icing problem to fix and a new suit to design.

In the end, he decided to work on the suit as he knew he could make progress with it. However, he did let Jarvis do some more digging, in the hopes that the AI would find something, anything on the mystery man.

The Mark III would need to withstand high atmosphere flying to prevent it from icing again. Tony tested out a few metals on a digital simulation, but his mind kept wandering back to how the man said his name and how it strangely sounded had been filled such yearning…

Maybe he was a stalker…with really good parkour skills. 

The computer shrilly beeped with another simulation failure. 

Ugh, he needed to stop thinking about this guy!

Mark III.

Icing.

Fix now.

Tony sparred the far-left screen one last glance. He'd left that screen dedicated to Jarvis keeping him updated on the intruder but, when he saw nothing new about the stranger, he leaned forward and put all of his focus back into the Mark III.

Eventually, he figured out the new suit could use the unused gold titanium alloy from an old satellite project and it’d not only fix the icing problem but would make the suit lighter and easier to maneuver. It was a win-win and Tony felt proud of himself as he leaned back any watched the pieces to his new suit come together on the screens.

As Jarvis made the changes, Tony glanced over his shoulder, but Jarvis beat him to it and stated, “I have yet to find any additional information on the man who entered the property.”

“Until we figure out who he is, let’s call this guy ‘Enigma’,” Tony said, slowly turning on his chair to face forward again.

“Enigma, sir?”

“Yeah, because he’s a mystery…” Tony said in a teasing voice, having fun with it.

“That he is,” Jarvis replied. “I have yet to find anything pertinent on the man.”

“Our Enigma is being elusive,” Tony retorted with a chuckle. His eyes flickered to a news story playing in the background and it caught his attention when he saw his name on it in connection to a gala he hosted annually. Was it that time of year already?...Why hadn’t anyone told him about it?

“Jarvis, did we get an invite for that?”

 “I have no record of an invitation, sir…Shall we be calling this charity ball ‘Enigma’ as well?”

Tony snorted and said, “That title is for our mystery man alone.”

He leaned back, listening to the reporter talk about his supposed sickness while he watched the last of the renderings to his new suit unfold. He frowned a little listening her talk about his "mental" breakdown. Why was it crazy for him to not bring any more weapons of mass destruction into the world? 

“The render is complete,” Jarvis stated. A golden version of his suit slowly spun on the screen, giving him a full 360 of he new design. Tony returned his attention back to the computer screen and felt his spirits lift when he saw the finished rendering. 

The gold coloring was a little much compared to the Mark II’s more muted silver. Tony observed, “Little ostentatious, don’t you think?”

“What was I thinking, you’re usually so discreet,” Jarvis sarcastically said.

Tony glanced at his flaming red 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster with a grin and said, “Tell you what, throw a little hot-rod red in there.”

“Yes, that should help you keep a low profile,” Jarvis dryly retorted.

Jarvis placed the new color onto the design of the suit and said, “The render is complete.”

“Yeah, I like it. Fabricate it. Make it,” Tony said and then fully turned to Enigma’s screen. Jarvis had still yet to find out who he was. Tony completed one task but this one was still nowhere near done. He pinched his chin and murmured to himself, “ _Who are you_?”

 

\---

Tony went to the charity ball since it was his ball after all. He half hoped that his acrobatic, possible stalker Enigma might show, but there had been no sign of him.

He tried to be discrete in keeping an eye out to him but he could not keep anything from Pepper. 

"Tony...What are you doing?" Pepper finally asked him with a slight edge to her voice. They were mostly alone and outside on the balcony. Pepper looked stunning in her new dress and all eyes in the area were on her, except for Tony. 

Tony's eyes shot right back to hers and he nonchalantly shrugged and murmured, "Just making sure everyone is enjoying _my_ charity ball that I wasn't invited to."

Pepper rolled her eyes and replied, "Oh, really? It looked more like you were looking for someone? Is there a more personal reason you happened to show up tonight?"

"No," Tony replied defensively and a little too quickly. 

Pepper quirked her eyebrow and smirked at him. 

Before she could be all high and mighty Tony said, "I need a drink, you need a drink? I'm going to get us some drinks. Martini, right?"

"Extra olives and extra dry, so I am better prepared to hear about the person who has Tony Stark tripping over his feet to avoid talking about." 

He smiled slyly at Pepper neither confirming nor denying her assumptions. 

He went to the bar and ordered Pepper's drink but then he saw his last conquest, Miss Christine Everhart of Vanity Fair, and she shoved photographs into his hands. Those pictures made Tony's focus narrow onto the images in his hands and Pepper's drink and the Enigma were forgotten. 

And..by the end of the night, his entire life seemed to shift.

Obie admitted to betraying him and selling the company's arms under the table.

And Tony took out his suit with a purpose. He saved the village and found his new purpose. 

He had the ability to save people...but the first thing he needed to do was right the wrongs his company had created. 

\---

As soon as the village was in good hands and Tony’s heart felt full by seeing them all pull together, he went straight home. Unfortunately, CENTCOM at Edwards Air Force Base detected his flight so instead of returning home in time for Enigma’s usual morning run by, he had to evade some jets and then save one of the pilots.

And then Pepper came across DUM-E and Butterfingers trying to dismantle the suit off of him and well...it didn't go well. Especially after she noted the bullet holes in his armor. 

After she left, it was late afternoon, and she had unhappily agreed to help him with investigating Obadiah. The sun would be setting in another hour and that meant Enigma may run by for his scheduled jog again. Despite being exhausted, Tony was still too curious about Enigma to pass up the opportunity to see him again.

Tony taped an ice pack to his shoulder again as a pain continued to linger from yesterday’s rough landing.  He then sat in his driveway with a cup of coffee and his Audi parked next to him, ready to speed off. Despite the coffee, without having slept in the last 24 hours, he was feeling drowsy and almost nodded off a few times.

It was at that moment when he was resting his eyes did Jarvis inform him, “Sir, I believe I have captured Master ‘Enigma’ on camera…there is a runner matching his build running ten miles south along Highway One.”

Tony was fully jerked awake and he sat up sharply, spilling the last of his coffee on the ground. He jumped to his feet and then into his car. He tossed the empty coffee mug onto the passenger seat and sped out of there.

There was more traffic on the road than when he first pursued Enigma. It was rush hour, everyone was getting off work so Tony knew he wasn’t going to be chasing after him in this traffic.

But he did do a drive by.

Enigma was wearing a ballcap and sunglasses, but Tony recognized him instantly. The Audi had tinted windows so he openly stared at the man as he slowly drove by. Now that he was no longer covered in fire extinguisher ash and flinching away from Tony, he saw the blond in his beard…and that he was stacked. Jarvis’s security cameras did not do this guy justice. He was definitely ex-military so why didn’t they find anything on him in the database? Maybe he was special forces? But what would special forces want with…

His suit.

That must’ve been it.

Maybe Enigma wasn’t stalking Tony or keeping tabs on him for Obadiah. Maybe he had been keeping an eye on his progress with his suit for the government…

He’d only just told Rhodey about his little side project that morning, after the whole jet plane fiasco, but had the government already known? _Were_ _they_ _after_ _his_ _suit_?

Tony parked ahead of him in a pull-off for tourists to park and take pictures of the ocean. No one was there so Tony found it to be the perfect place to confront the Enigma.

When the man spotted him, he stumbled over his feet in his jogging. He came to a stop and, despite the hat and glasses, Tony could see the war in his expression as he probably considered whether or not he should run.

Tony made the decision easy for him.

“If you don’t come over here then I am going to get in my suit and follow you home and we can talk at your place. The choice is yours.”

\---

Last night had been tense, to say in the least.

Cable was livid.

Steve held off his morning run in favor of watching the monitors with Cable and hypothesizing with him as to why Steve was disappearing now in the photo.

Via the news they were able to see that Tony still went to the gala and then through random sources on the internet saw he still went to Gulmira. He was still doing what he had originally done according to Cable. Yet Steve’s presence had somehow changed something – something that would end up killing Steve in the end.

Steve was dumbfounded. How did he and Tony manage to change the future so drastically, _again_?

The first time had been obvious. They were falling in love with each other, and both of them would’ve done anything to save the other, including changing the future.

But now Tony had no idea who he was and they had barely exchanged a full sentence.

Until Tony cut him off in his run…

Steve had originally held off on running but the need to burn off his anxiety became too much and he had thought running away from Tony’s house would be alright…clearly he was wrong.

Tony somehow found him and lay in wait. 

Steve trailed to a stop a few feet from his future fiancé and eyed him uneasily.

How had Tony found him?

Should he try to run even with Tony’s threat of following him?

He could already picture Cable’s frown deepening further with Tony’s appearance at the apartment and his glare burning two parallel holes into Steve.

No…he shouldn’t run…but he shouldn’t interact with Tony either.

“Who are you?” Tony asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “And who do you work for?”

Steve shifted his feet uneasily. His heart was torn. He wanted to run, to prevent the future from changing anymore but…but this was the closest he’d been to Tony since he’d died in his arms and – and Steve couldn’t stop staring at him. He was every bit the man he loved and remembered: from the determined set to his shoulders to his unwavering gaze. He was half tempted to remove his sunglasses to see him in a better light but forced himself not to in case Tony would finally recognize him.

“Helloooo – _Earth_ _to_ _Enigma_ , anyone home?” Tony said sarcastically, stepping closer to Steve. Steve jerked back and Tony’s brows shot up in surprise. He raised his hands in a calming motion and placated, “Hey, I mean no harm. I just want to make sure you mean no harm to me either…I can’t find any information on you and, since my movie trivia is up to date, that usually means you’re either a hitman, in the witness protection program, or an alien intent on invading Earth. Who are you, Enigma? What do you want with me?”

“Last night was a one-time thing,” Steve replied uneasily. “And I’m not any of those things…”

“Then who are you?”

“Nobody,” Steve replied with a shrug.

“No,” Tony replied stubbornly. “Everyone is somebody. You have a life outside of running down the PCH and jumping into mansions to save devilishly handsome, eccentric billionaires.”

Steve couldn’t help but chuckle, making Tony’s brows raise even higher and, with it, Tony’s facial expression also shifted. He was no longer looking at Steve with distrust and suspicion. He studied Steve like he was a puzzle that was hard to crack.

Steve shook his head and didn’t meet Tony’s eyes as he said, “I’m a man who’s just wandering right now…I lost – I lost my fiancé recently and…” He tried sticking as close to the truth for it to be believable but, as he said the words aloud, he was transported back into that moment: Tony on the ground, the hole in his chest, him gasping out final words of love, before –.

Steve’s eyes snapped up as his anxiety spiked into a near panic attack. Tony stood in front of him alive and whole. The future wasn’t written yet. He had the evidence of that with their future wedding photo back at the apartment. Steve wasn’t going to lose Tony again. He’d die before he watched him die again. Steve breathlessly continued, “I’ve been trying to revise my future since then…”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Tony murmured.

Steve smiled sweetly at him and whispered, “Thank you.”

“So…You haven’t been stalking me?” Tony asked.

Steve shook his head. He would stop running by Tony’s place. He had to trust that Cable was right about the Goblin and that the monster wouldn’t hurt this timeline’s Tony. He stated to Tony, “I am just a man using running to keep himself distracted…”

“But why were so adamant that I didn’t see you and how the heck did you jump like that?? You were like a rabbit on steroids!”

Steve shrugged and fibbed, “Adrenaline and embarrassment?”

“Okay, _but_ why don’t you have a driver’s license? A Facebook?”

Steve shrugged again and murmured, “I grew up in New York City, so I never needed a car, and I don’t have many friends so never saw the use of Facebook…”

Steve was thanking his lucky stars that he read up on social media as a part of his history of this new era so it seemed like he knew what he was talking about.

“Well…this is awkward,” Tony said, slightly exasperated. “You tried to save me the other night and my first assumptions are that you’re a stalker or are after my stuff.”

Steve smiled at Tony and cautiously stepped up to him and slyly teased, “It seems you are more of the stalker here.”

Tony snorted and then said, “Alright, let’s start over.” He held his hand out to Steve and said, “I’m Tony Stark, thanks for trying to save me and putting up with my paranoia.”

Steve stared at Tony’s outstretched hand with extreme trepidation. He could not tell Tony his name because then he’d notice the connection between his name and face, and no amount of beard or sunglasses was going to keep Tony from realizing who he was.

Yet leaving his arm hanging there, waiting for a handshake was also suspicious so Steve slowly grasped Tony’s hand and had to hold back holding Tony too tightly as he felt a sudden surge of touch deprivation. Tony’s warmth sunk into Steve’s hand and memories associated with that touch filtered quickly through his mind. They never had many opportunities to hold hands. It was frowned upon in his era so he’d treasured all those collective moments and he couldn’t help but think of them as he slowly shook Tony's hand.

It felt even more precious now and he had to put a lot of effort into letting go of him.

His eyes rose to meet Tony’s as he came to a quick decision on how to reply without drawing more suspicion. Taking a page from Tony’s book, he replied, “I’m Steve-Steven…Steven Edwards.”

Edwards had been the last name Tony used in the past and now Steve would adopt it for his own. It was almost appropriate as he was going to marry the man one day and most married people share a last name...they never had the chance to discuss what they were going to do. If they'd only been engaged more than a couple of hours before all of this, then they may had found the time to discuss it...

“Steven, let me buy dinner as my way of apologizing for being a total creepy tool. I know this great sandwich place right across from Malibu Lagoon. Have you ever been to that shopping center? I go there for this amazing cashew sandwich and to just marvel at this statue of hammer with a perky ass. You need to see it!” Tony laughed, getting back into the car. He sat down and looked expectantly up to Steve when he made no move to get into the car. Tony promised, “I don’t bite. I may be a weirdo but I promise I am a loveable weirdo. Have you already eaten?”

Steve was afraid to open his mouth for a second. He and Tony had discussed going on a date right before Steve lost him and this era’s Tony just practically laid out one to him. He wanted nothing more than to go with Tony and share a meal, laugh with him at this statue he was talking about, and walk down the lagoon, hand-in-hand.

But this was not his Tony.

His Tony looked at him with warm eyes and a smile threatening to crack his lips if it hadn't already. His Tony wouldn’t have let go of his hand and would be giving him his hourly reminder that he loved him.

But his Tony had died in the future.

This Tony was not yet him.

Steve hurriedly wiped at his eyes under his sunglasses and then whispered, “I’m…I’m sorry…”

Tony got out of the car and clutched his door as he looked worriedly at Steve. He asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yes…No…I’m – I’m okay. I just lost my fiancé not too long ago and you – you remind me _a_ _lot_ of him,” Steve chuckled bitterly at the irony. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t make for a good dinner partner. You go on without me…I’ll be fine.” _Please_ _go_. “I’ll – I’ll see you around.”

Steve rubbed at his eyes one last time with a sad smile and returned to his jog before Tony could protest or ask for more answers.

He ran without looking back but he could feel Tony’s eyes gouging into his back the entire time until he rounded the corner.

\---

Their wedding photo shifted again, only it was Tony’s hand that disappeared a little more.


End file.
